For You I Will
by Xo-SARCASTIC-oX
Summary: Edward is sick of disappearing into the walls at Forks High, the Girl of his dreams doesn't know he exists, tutoring kids music isn't going all that great,but when the 'IT' girl sees his notice, things start turning around for our fav piece of wall. cute
1. Chapter One

**This is going to be a short story; I couldn't get the idea out of my head for a while now, so I decided to give it a shot! The first chapter is a bit slow, but it will get better. 8D Sorry if I spell things the Australian way, like 'mum' and all, but its right to me.**

**It's named after Teddy Geiger's song "For you I will"… (Coughcluecough). Enjoy!!...OOC….**

Do not own anything from Twilight, ALL through out this Fan Fiction.**  
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_Edwards Point of View_

"Tommy, its E, B, G, D, A, E for the hundredth time." I pointed to each string on the under twelves guitar as I recited the notes. The small blonde haired boy looked up at me like I was crazy, his bright blue eyes incredulous.

"How am I supposed to remember that? I'm only eight for goodness sakes!" Tommy pouted childishly, making his cheeks stick out even more than usual. Tommy, one of my youngest music students, eight years old, but could definitely dish out some words that weren't all that common in the below ten vocabulary.

I sighed, closing my eyes. I had gone through this at least ten times before. He just wasn't getting it…actually no, he just wasn't paying attention. Every time I started explaining again, I could almost see in Tommy's glazing over eyes the picture of him standing in front of a large crowed, belting out a legendary solo. That's the thing with eight year olds, they have too many ideas and are too impatient to get anywhere with them.

"Okay," I took a deep breath and prepared to start again. "I have an idea. It's usually easier to remember the order if you make up a saying to go with it." I cocked my eyebrows questioningly, "you following me?" But by the blank stare that I got from Tommy's baby fat adorned face, I could see he had no idea what I was saying.

Looking around exasperated, I found a whiteboard marker and drew up the notes in order. "Tommy, **E**aster**B**unnies**G**o**D**ancing**A**t**E**aster. You remember that, and you'll remember each of the strings." I smiled encouragingly. Tommy looked as though he was getting it, fingers pinching his chin, head cocked thoughtfully. Relief washed through me, I didn't have to go through it again. But then…Tommy's eyebrows furrowed.

"Why does it have to be about _Rabbits_, rabbits are for _girls_." Involuntarily I let out a frustrated groan, pinching the bridge of my nose as my eyes tensely closed. I really need to teach more grown up people.

My face scrunched up with my frustration, so when I looked at Tommy I'm sure he thought I was evil eyeing him. "And its not rabbits, its bunnies," I spat out, then my mind caught up with me, _who's the childish one now?_

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Walking through the crowded school corridors becomes even more depressing everyday. The way you have to push through groups of people, and I mean push, especially since everyday I blend more and more into the walls. No one knows to move out of the way.

And today was no different. I got nudged and every now and then had my foot stepped on, I was invisible to most, which was weird; I'm actually taller than a lot of people, standing over them…how could they not see me?

Answer: People only want to see what they want to. And I wasn't 'too be seen' material, I was the equivalent of band geek…actually, no…band geeks are noticed as band geeks, I'm noticed as…a piece of wall.

I stopped in front of a heavily covered notice board, pulling a few bright yellow sheets from the pile in my arm, and pinning them at various angles across the rest of the brightly covered board. I had decided that after having to spend hours on end with Tommy _just_ learning the basics of playing guitar, it was time to start advertising my talent for music and my source of income to people my own age.

I moved close to the walls so I could stick up my notices on the boards I went past. The amount of people in the hall thinned out as I got further down the hall, which meant only one thing:

The well praised and a lot of the time, hated, top of the food chain predators were present.

The people that everyone had to look up to, even if they were cheaters in everything they did, getting away with anything because of who their parents are. But did they deserve everything they get? No, they get to breeze through life, with not a care in the world while there are people all around them who have to teach impatient, little rascals how to play instruments that to them are the equivalent of a pot you bash with a wooden spoon.

It was true, I envied them greatly. As much as I thought of them cheaters who didn't deserve anything, I couldn't help but want to have a walk around in their shoes…maybe steal their shoes even. Who wouldn't like to not have to try hard to get anything and everything?

I stopped once more to pin up my notice, but found my eyes drifting to the delicate brunette only mere metres away from where I was standing. She was concentrating hard on opening her locker, biting her lip while she tried her best not to stuff up the locker combination. The lock opened with an audible _click_. She lifted her head to look into her locker as the door was pulled open; the fluorescent lights above casting the top of her brown hair into shades of gold, like a halo.

Bella Swan, the beloved daughter of the Chief of Police in Forks, the golden child. She was liked by all, even though Bella probably didn't even know half of the people that knew her and said she was nice. But this was Bella, you saw it all the time, she may be at the top of the social food chain, but you never saw her tearing people down like the others did.

If only I was one of the people that was actually subject to her niceness, but no, she doesn't even know my name. I leaned against the wall, studying the side of Bella's face. It was a face i knew well, one i had analyzed from the opposite side of the cafeteria or in class. I knew every one of the few light freckles that sat on her fare skin, i knew the shape of all her angelic features from nose to mouth.

A piece of paper dropping from Bella's locker drew my attention away from her for a second. Bella followed the wavering paper to the ground to pick it up, and before my mind had caught up with me, my eyes had travelled along the line of her leg where her jeans had tightened as she bent over, to the curve of her-

"Hey, Bella!" Mike Newton pushed past me roughly, strutting his way over to Bella like he owned her- which he didn't. They had been on and off this past year...from what i knew at the moment it was still off. "How you doing?" He asked, grabbing her hand and spinning her, his eyes roving all the while.

That was another thing I was insanely jealous of, they got to associate with the one truly beautiful praised person…but this one, I don't mind praising so much, she was perfect.

Bella laughed musically, the sound echoing through my head, haunting me, before pushing his hands away while he tried to put his arm around her waist. "I'm fine, my mum called though last night." Bella put her back pack over her shoulder, flicking her long hair away as she did so. Bella started walking down the corridor in my direction, Mike following obediently at her side.

People started clearing a path for them to walk through, and I realised that I was the only thing obstructing that path. I finally for the first time moved my eyes away from Bella to hurriedly pin the poster into the wall and move out of the way. "She's wanted me to learn how to play piano and since she's visiting soon, I thought…" Her voice trailed off as she passed me, looking in my direction, her eyes brightening as a smile lit her face up.

My eyes widened, for a second hope and pride rushed through me, like a dam had broke and let the floodwaters in, my lips twitched slightly to begin to smile back awkwardly. Bella walked closer to me, almost inspecting me, and I could feel my heart start beating faster. _This is it._

But then Bella didn't stop in front on me, she stood in front of the notice board tilting her head to the side, a speculative look adorning her features. I could feel the extra body heat coming off her being so close. She was studying my poster, not me…she was interested in the poster…not me. I nodded slightly to myself; _of course she wouldn't be looking at me…idiot!_

I could feel the burning starting at my ears as I felt my stomach prickling and twisting as my own embarrassment at myself kicked into hyper drive. I turned away quickly, my hands clenching into a fist to me from hitting my self in the hit myself in the head because of my stupidness.

I didn't want to be so close to her knowing that I couldn't have her, it wasn't fair that she could be so tempting and alluring and knowing that you couldn't even talk to her. I pushed my legs to move away from the temptation, but Bella's murmur floated over to me even though I had moved at least two metres by now.

"…I'd take a music class." My eyes widened, my shoulders dropped, my breathing ceased, I stood stock still in place, my back straightening as though there were a gun pointed to my back. _Bella looking at my Music Lessons poster…Take a music class…poster…Bella…class…an hour alone…Bella…class…me…poster…Bella…_Did I hear right?

I turned quickly, feeling as though this was the most vital moment in my life. All eyes were on Bella as she pulled out a scrap of paper and a pen and write down my contact details.

Oh god…_She_ has my _number_, Bella's going to call me_…Music lessons….Bella…my crushee of the century…Bella…Me…hour alone…Bella_

…Oh boy

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**HERE YE, HERE YE! Would ye be so kind as to revieweth? **---- ? I'm just being weird here---------


	2. Chapter two

**Facts to clear up for all: 8D**

**Age:**17- high school.

**Status:**Human

**Job:**Edward teacher people to play certain instruments to get money, he isn't rich, so he has to work for what he gets.

**Why he is not noticed: **Edward sort of has a bit of a self esteem issue- though he has no reason to! – He's "brimming with hotness" as 'Intoxicated by his presence' said. LOL. And he was the kind of person who wanted attention so eventually it just kind of became that way, and he regrets being that way now.

**Family:**Sister Alice, parents Carlisle and Esme. Jasper and Rosalie are twins but are their own family, Same with Emmett. Edward isn't rich, and Carlisle is now studying to be a doctor so he's in and out most of the time. So Alice and Edward try their best to help their mother out, turns to cook dinner, turns to wash up and all that.

**Edward:**He tends to exaggerate things a bit, but with Bella, he gets really nervous and excited and worried all at the same time, I mean…this is DREAM GIRL, of course he's going to be…flustered, its part of this Edwards charm though.

Next chapter of this should be in a few days, i have to get my other stories posted first!

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Appréciez!!!- Enjoy in French…I think….

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The mobile phone:

Usually something most teenagers couldn't do with out, a small piece of technology that held their lives in it. Almost all teenagers in developed countries have one, or at least want one. They are usually on the top of the Christmas or birthday present list; the latest versions are what teens save up for. To not have a phone would almost feel like social banishment, and right now, all I felt like doing was throwing mine out the window.

You would never think that such as small piece of plastic could cause so much worry and stress. I mean, it was just sitting there, in the middle of the kitchen table, innocent as ever, not giving any hints to the fact that at any moment the ring tone could start playing, with an Angel on the other side, wanting to talk to _me_.

"Edward I don't get why you're worrying." My sister Alice sang from behind the kitchen bench. I forced my eyes away from the phone for the first time since I got home to look at my sister. Alice was at this time struggling to open a can of spaghetti, Mums pink apron going down to her feet. "I mean, this is Bella, Bella _Swan_. You should be happy, not freaking out; you look like you're going to go all psycho killer on your phone."

I glared at my sister as she picked up a steak knife from the draw and began to pretend to stab something, making some weird face, trying her hardest to rub it in that I was freaked.

"Yeah, well, you like an elf in that apron; you should get one in _miniature_ size." Alice's mouth dropped open wide, her expression completely unbelieving. It wasn't everyday that I usually threw her size in her face, it was sometimes a touchy subject.

Alice's eyes squinted up, shooting gasoline drenched, lit on fire daggers at me. She held up the knife, looking eviler than Elmo saying 'I know where you live.' "Didn't anyone ever tell you, _Edward_," She spat out my name like it was poison. "That it's not wise to insult an _elf_ while the _elf_ in question is holding a _knife_!"

It was scary how someone so small could look terrifying like Alice managed to, but I knew from experience, when we were little and we play fought…she's unstoppable, she just has an endless supply of energy, and…even if she didn't have a knife, her elbows are its equivalent, and when she digs one of those into your thigh…ouch, enough said.

I kept my face blank as I answered; trying to keep up a cool façade, show that I wasn't still worrying about the phone call to come. "Is that a threat Alice?" I made a _tsk_-ing noise with my tongue, shaking me head as though appalled. "On your own _brother_?"

One of Alice's eye brows raised, her face as cool as stone, she wasn't fazed by my sarcastic comments. "No, dearest brother of mine who I love dearly," Alice exaggerated, putting the steak knife back down and walked around to the kitchen table where I sat, the phone placed directly in the middle of the table. "I'm threatening your phone."

Before I could even register exactly what that meant, Alice leaned across the table and swiped the phone away. She held it above her head with her fore finger and thumb, ready to drop it at anytime. "Alice…what are you doing?" I asked warily, keeping an eye on the phone that was awaiting the call that I had been waiting for.

Alice ignored my question, holding the phone even higher so it had more of a drop. "I'll drop it, Edward. I swear I will." She smirked evilly at me; she could see an easy victory ahead.

"No," I stood up out of my chair and reached for her but she stepped back. "Please, Alice, don't drop it, please, please, please, don-" I started begging, I _needed_ to get that call. Alice rolled her eyes and threw me the cell phone, smirking the entire time.

"See, don't freak or worry about getting the call." Alice placed her hands on her hips, giving me a knowing look. "You want it; otherwise you wouldn't have been so desperate to get it back."

As much as I frowned on my sisters methods of self realisation, I knew that she was right. Why was I freaking out? I mean, _Bella's_coming to _me_, what do I have to worry about? I nodded to Alice, "Yeah, you're right. I have nothing to worry about." I put my phone in my pocket, and shrugged nonchalant.

"Yeah," Alice smiled encouragingly, "Play it cool, Mr. Smooth Moves." She ran her hand over the kitchen bench to emphasise 'smooth', smiling wickedly as she did.

"Exactly," I nodded more urgently, pepping myself up. "Mr. Smoo-" The piano version of Clair de Lune started up loudly. I looked at Alice questioningly. It took me a second to realise where it was coming from, Alice and I both looked to my right pocket at the same time._The phone!_

"Answer it Edward!" I hadn't even realised that I hadn't moved since the realisation hit, the phone was ringing. Blinking rapidly, I dug my hand into my pocket, palms suddenly feeling unnaturally slippery. When I finally managed to pull my phone out, I quickly pushed the little button with the picture of a green phone.

I swallowed hard to clear my throat, and I could feel my heart pounding in my ears. "H-hello?" I took a deep breath trying to slow down the speed of my heart. Alice covered her mouth with fingers, trying not at laugh at how 'Mr. Smooth' was handling things. There was a pause on the other end, making me anxious to hear that angelic voice…but what if it wasn't her? Maybe she had changed her mind, then this was all for nothing.

"Hi," Bella's voice greeted on the other end, sounding slightly distracted, yet so smooth…unlike me. "Is this," I could almost see her pausing to look at the person's name. "Edward Cullen?" I swear my heart stuttered to a halt when she said my name…for the first time ever.

I could feel my mouth opening and closing, with no words to be heard, I needed something to say…something…with out stutters in it. I looked at Alice desperate eyes, but she just wiped her hand across the kitchen bench again, projecting the image 'smooth' to me. "Hello?" Bella asked again, probably only hearing breathing from my side.

"T-this is he," I rushed out, turning my back on Alice as she laughed at my expense, not even trying to cover it up anymore.

"Oh, well, my name's Bella Swan-" Bella spoke very formally, obviously not realising that this was someone she passed everyday at school. What a depressing thought. "And, um…is this a bad time?"

My eyebrows lowered, still trying to get my breathing back to normal, as I tried to understand how she got that impression. "No, I'm fine. What gives you that idea?" I speed walked away from Alice and out into the front yard, feeling a little less pressure knowing I wasn't being watched by Ms. Know-it-all.

"You just seem…a little flustered." Bella laughed a little, obviously feeling a little nervous. Oh, she had no idea how right she was.

I cleared my throat, thinking up a reason that wouldn't be embarrassing to give. "I, um, just got home." Well that was the lamest lie of the century. "W-what were you calling for?" I changed the subject, getting to the point- already knowing what the point was of course.

"Oh, right." I could hear the smile in Bella's voice as she herself only just remembered the point of this call. "Well, I saw your poster today at school for music lessons, and piano was listed, so, I was just wondering if I could ask a few questions."

Bella sounded so much younger and innocent over the phone, so much more delicate. I idiotically nodded to say go on, but then realised she couldn't see me. _Yeah…smooth move…_I felt burning at the tips of my ears, knowing that they were turning bright pink, even though I only embarrassed my self in front of my self. "Go ahead, shoot."

"Okay, well, I guess you could just tell me about…your experience with Piano-since that's the instrument I want to learn." Okay, decent question. I sat myself down on the porch steps, resting my elbows on my knees. The rarely seen sun was getting lower and lower, lighting the clouds in tints of brilliant oranges and purples.

"Um," I thought of a place to begin, feeling nervous still. I couldn't even see her yet she was still making me act jittery. "Well, my mother used to be an at home music teacher so I grew up around music," I explained, deciding to start off right at the beginning. "I completed all the Piano levels by the time I was twelve, and as soon as I hit fifteen I've been helping my mum with lessons and taking my own."

"Aw," I rose my eyebrows at Bella's 'that's so adorable' noise. What was so adorable? "That's so sweet of you. Helping out your mother, a lot of guys wouldn't."

I laughed a little, feeling at little more at ease. "Yeah, you know, I'm one of a kind," I joked, getting the response I wanted, a laugh from her.

"I'm sure" She teased back, condescendingly. "Okay, next thing I need to know," Bella began, getting back on track. How I wished that we didn't have to. "How much?" I flinched slightly at her abruptness. This was something I didn't really like talking about. How much money I was going to take from someone, I knew how hard it could be when you didn't have the money to spare. "I mean, on your poster it said cheap, but I want to know how much this will take out of me exactly."

"Look, Bella, I don't want to cheat you out of any money," I began. "So I do this with all the people I teach, I let them have a trial, see if they like how I do things, and then you can decide whether I'm worth giving money to."

There was a brief pause of the other end of the line, "That's so nice of you. How old are you anyway?" Bella questioned. I felt a poke in stomach…this was just more proof that she had no idea who I was.

"I'm seventeen."

"Really?" Bella's voice seemed intrigued. "That means you're in my year. Do I have any classes with you?" My face fell even more, that was another sharp stab to the gut.

"I had two classes with you last year and one this year." I could hear in my voice the the immense disappointment, and I felt the bitter twinge in my stomach as I thought about how great it must be to actually be noticed by Bella Swan. There was the little green monster again, crawling up my back.

"Oh," Was all Bella was able to say. Sure, why not? That's all you really can say to finding out that you haven't noticed someone that's been around you for over two years. But as I've seen before, Bella was different, she actually felt bad about bad things, and she actually had a heart. "Edward, I'm so sorry," Her voice burned with sincerity and I felt a foolish hope rise in me. Maybe I didn't need to be extremely popular to get this dove's attention, I just had to make her pity me.

_Yeah, because that would be good in the long run…how? _A little voice questioned in the back of my head, almost sounding like a tinier Alice.

"It's alright," I assured her half-heartedly. It was everything _but_right to me. "We run in different circles anyway," I continued, this time telling the exact truth. "I've never even really tried to talk to you."

Bella sighed, and I knew that she still felt bad. "No, it's not alright. I feel terrible." There was anger and regret in Bella's voice, clearly directed at her self. Although I hated knowing that she was beating herself up because of me, I couldn't help but feel a sick happiness that it might make her give me more attention. "You should talk to me in school too," Bella added, encouragingly. _Bella wants me to talk to her. _"I don't bite, I promise."

A smile was slowing stretching across my face, wider and wider until I felt like I was about to break. Bella Swan… "Yeah, maybe I will." There was no doubt that I sounded way happier than before, inside it was almost like fireworks going off, but I tried not to seem to over joyful, and I think I managed quite well if I do say so myself. _Mr. Smooth hasn't lost all hope just yet._

"Okay then," Bella sounded a lot more relieved, seemingly having that weight on her chest a little lighter. "Are you free tomorrow for that trial?"

I didn't even think before I answered, "Yes," All I knew was that if I did have something planned…it was cancelled. _Then again…Maybe Mr. Smooth should just take things slow._ "I'll give you my address?" I asked, maybe just a little to eager.

"Ah, yep, just let me get a pen," There was some shuffling on the other end while I was practically resisting the urge to jump out of my skin. My foot started tapping impatiently, waiting to finally get the chance to let the new found adrenaline release itself. "Okay, what is it?"

I recited the address that I had lived at since I was young, already imaging, _Bella…my house…music….me…Bella…music…hour alone…Bella…Bella…Bella…_

"Okay, well say hi to me tomorrow at school, okay?" She told me in a stern voice, but I was hardly paying attention to that I was reply 'sure', too preoccupied with _Bella…my house…me…music…hour alone…music… _"Okay, well, bye." And then the dial tone was echoing through my ears.

I lifted my self off the porch slowly, my body still feeling pumped through with energy…Play it cool…this is no big deal…I mean, your teaching her how to play piano, what's the big deal with that?

Ah, Girl of dreams plus me plus teaching piano equals…Nobody talking to somebody for the first time ever, _that's_ a big deal.

Smiling I pumped the air with my fist, hissing '_yesss_' all the while. But once weren't enough and I felt compelled to do that a few more times, probably looking like I was pretending to squish something.

"What the hell are doing?" I abruptly stopped what had turned into a somewhat awkward dance and turned to face Alice's almost disgusted face. I knew I should be embarrassed but I couldn't care less…It was confirmed…I was going to have an hour alone with Bella, and that was more than I could hope for. "Seriously Edward, you need to either control your emotions, or learn to not look like a freak while your excited."

Things were finally looking up…

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Aye capt'n, we should be giv'n this here girly a review, I can feel it in the wind says I. ---------? Does that even make sense...?-----------


	3. Sorry

_**IMPORTANT:**_These past two months have really sucked for me as you may know- especially if you've read my blog (oh what a piece of depressing recounting it is.)

Well, hey it gets worse, I don't know when I'll be able to update my stories, and I hate leaving authors notes. If you read Drama's of the Heart, you'd no that I've only ever put up two authors notes and one of them I substituted with a chapter.

But I have to put this up, Things are going to be very hectic and depressing in my house for…a while.

My Grandad (who I've lived with for 9 years straight) died this morning…R.I.P Arthur.K

And, honestly, I will write but I just know that everything is going to….go to blows the next few days.

It's so weird...how something can be there, and then...completely gone the next. This whole thing is just, idk...This is the first time I've had to deal with someone passing

Theres a lot to sort out…like the fact that my WHOLE family isn't even from Australia and we some how need to dig up money to have a funeral in NEW ZEALAND while the person in question is over the ocean.

Anyway, I am really very sorry about this, these past months have just been a whole lot of- excuse my language – shit, one thing after the other.

- Jessica


	4. Chapter three

**Sorry for the lateness every body! I just got back from New Zealand a few says ago, so I've had a lot to do, especially since school starts back up tomorrow. Ew…**

**Anyway, I tried to answer all the reviews giving me support and understanding but I don't think I got round to all of them. Sorry about that, there were A LOT. But for those that I didn't get round too, I really appreciate every one being patient with me and understanding my dilemma's – which believe me when I say there are A LOT. **

**Things aren't that great even now, and my whole family isn't doing to great, but things have to get worse before they get better, and I think we've gone through enough bad. Some people have it so much worse I know, people who have lost one of their parents, or the people in undeveloped countries that have to drink from the water that they do there bathing and 'business' in. :-( But I could go on forever with that, so I will shut up now.**

**I feel this chapter was a little flat, but then again, its kind of a filler chapter. But I'm not the reader so I will leave that up to you all.**

**(Pic of Gracie in Profile.)**

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So here I was, trigonometry with Mr. Varner, glancing at Bella's blue sweater covered back two rows ahead of me, while she payed attention to the teacher droning on in the background…unlike me, instead, trying to pep myself up to say at least one _word_- one _syllable_ to Bella.

'_Say Hi to me tomorrow at school, okay?' _ Bella's words had been running and rerunning through my head all morning, as though a treadmill was wrapped around the inside of my brain. '_Say hi'_, Ihad to keep telling myself that I _had_ to do it too. Bella even said so, I should say hi, she won't bite…her friends might though, but the important one is Bella.

So I say hi and hopefully she will think that that random person she only just noticed greeting her is Edward Cullen…the one she thinks is sweet. I couldn't help but grin smugly every time I repeated her words.

"_That's so sweet of you. Helping out your mother, a lot of guys wouldn't." _

Yeah, that's right said other guys, I can do what you can't, _I can do what you can't, I can do what you can't_, I sang obnoxiously in my head, pretending that Bella was hanging onto me, while all the other guys at school were standing there, mouths agape, for once the jealous ones.

And at the risk of being completely lame, even to myself, I add to imaginary Edward's vocabulary, nah _nah_ na_na_ _nah!_

I just had to get to Bella before she was swarmed with her friends before going to lunch, simple as that. The school bell rang over head, shocking me into breaking my staring contest with Bella's back. I looked around for proof that the bell really did ring and it wasn't just me wishing for it to hurry up and go. Sure enough, people were picking up their pencil cases and books and shoving them back into their bags.

I quickly stood up and pushed my books into my bag, roughly zipping up. Bella was packing up slowly, taking her time as usual; she wasn't in a rush to get anywhere. This was it, for the first time I'm actually going to face her. As this thought crossed my mind, the full extent of what I was about to do hit me and a gnawing started in my throat.

What if she didn't like me? What if she thought I was some stalker? What if, what if, what if?

I took a deliberate, deep breath. What was I? I'm not a wimp, I'm saying hi, how is that embarrassing? I've humiliated myself heaps of other times…this is _no_ big deal.

I squared my shoulders, slinging my bag over my right shoulder, and took that first step towards standing out.

The girl who sat next to Bella, Gracie, glanced at me, and then turned back to Bella saying something. Bella smiled, showing her perfect white teeth and nodded before going back to picking up all her things, one by one.

I didn't take my eyes off Bella once, which is why I jumped when Gracie was suddenly in front of me, smiling up at me widely, her braces shining under the fluorescent lighting.

"Hi Edward," she addressed me, breathlessly, nudging her thick black rimmed glasses up her nose. Gracie was one of those people that could say Bella was nice; she wasn't part of the popular crowd, just one of those fortunate nobodies to get to sit next to Bella.

"Hey Gracie," I smiled distractedly at Gracie, my eyes momentarily going back to Bella as she now picked up her bag to leave. No, don't leave yet! I called inside my head pointlessly. Please Gracie make this quick.

"So, how was your morning?" Gracie asked, looking a little too interested.

Bella turned back around, her hair swishing back to frame her face, "Bye Gracie," Gracie turned at the mention of her name and waved back eccentrically, smiling awkwardly because of her braces. Bella smiled back, before her eyes shifted to me. I felt my body go unresponsive; she was looking at me, really looking at me; _seeing_ me, and then she gave me an appraising smile, before turning out of the class room.

A slow dazed smile changed my features from statue to completely entranced. Bella _smiled_ at _me_…and I just _stood_ there like a _git staring_!

I had to clench my hands into fists to resist the urge to hit myself in the head. Why didn't I say something then? Or _at least_ smile back? And now she's gone. I shifted my eyes back to Gracie's, only to see her staring at me, waiting for a response to her earlier question.

"Ah, sorry Gracie," I felt bad about wanting to get away, Gracie was a nice girl, smart as anything and really friendly- sometimes a little to friendly, but right now, I needed to catch up with the beauty that drove me into being a dumbstruck idiot. "I got to go, but I'll see you around, okay?'

I had already moved around her as I was talking but I looked back to her to make sure that she wasn't hurt I was running out on her, "Sure," Gracie grinned, seemed just pleased that I wasn't completely trying to run away. I nodded, giving a good-bye smile.

Out in the hall I stood on the tips of my toes, craning my neck to try and see the familiar girl amongst all the other teenagers trying to get to lunch. I couldn't see any sign of her that way, so I turned again, moving against the crowd to look the other way.

I couldn't see Bella that way either, exasperated, I went back to normal height but still looked around, although knowing that it was a pointless effort. So stupid, I had the perfect chance and I blew it!

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Taking a deep breath, trying to keep my face calm, I put my hand on the door handle. I had already peaked through the key hole to make sure that I was opening the door to not just anybody.

Shaking my head slightly, hoping to have a non-expectant expression. I slid open the door, staying in the shadow from the door, taking Alice's advice for 'mysterious and dark'. I had to look cool and composed, confident, not like I didn't know what I was doing, like this was no big deal…

'Every girl has a secret yearning for some one dangerous,' is what she had said, letting me in on the very thoughtful, twisted web of a girls mind. And _that's_ why I had my eyes trained to the ground, note the sarcasm.

_Look at her you idiot!_ And there went that little Alice voice again.

I forced my eyes to not play chicken and actually face the one thing that they usually don't mind watching. And, although my eyes had to follow the ground for a while before they reached her converse covered feet, at least they moved, that's a plus. I shifted my eyes to look through my eyelashes at Bella's face, still not willing enough to lift my head all the way yet.

Bella was smiling politely, the perfect picture of innocence. But then her smile began to slip and recognition filled her eyes as she placed where she had seen me before. My heart started thumping harder, faster.

"H-hi," I stuttered, cursing myself for being such a loser, trying to refrain from staring at the angel in disguise that was on my doorstep. _Oh god, she's on my doorstep_. "Oh, um, come in- please." I motioned with my hand for her to come forward.

Bella continued to stare at me, assessing me as she took a step through the doorway and into the small foyer. As much as I felt overjoyed that Bella was looking at me for the second time today, a negative was present as well. She was making me paranoid. _What is she staring at? Is there something on my face?_

Unintentionally my fingers went to my face.

Bella laughed shortly. _At me? Or something else? _

"You're, um," Bella shook her head, flustered, making her hair whip around her face. "You're Gracie's friend. From Trig, I remember now, you once tripped over my bag!"

My face dropped. "You remember that, do you?" I questioned dryly. I could feel my cheeks beginning to burn sickly. Why is that when I do something stupid she notices? Life is cruel, what did I do wrong?

Bella nodded erratically, seeming pleased that she did actually recognise me from somewhere. Well, if she was pleased I was pleased. A tingling in the pit of my stomach began to pelt at me.

I turned to lead her out into the back where all the teaching would be done. "Okay then, shall we-" Out of no where there was a slap on my arm, I spun back around to see Bella frowning at me, her arms crossed over her chest. "Wha-"

"You were right there!" Bella dropped her arms and gave me a 'you-better-explain-or-else' look that I was well accustomed to getting from my mother. The question was…where was I 'right there'?

"I was right there in front of you and you didn't say anything." Bella's eyes questioned mine, but I couldn't even think about formulating a real sentence while Bella was penetrating my eyes so intently. My eyes were beginning to sting due to the lack of blinking.

"I'm sorry?" To my own ears it sounded weak and pathetic. Bella sighed and broke the eye contact, allowing my eyelids to have permission to blink and my lungs able to release air.

"Well, it doesn't matter now." Bella smiled, forgiving me. "I know your face finally, so _I _will come to _you_."

I felt a thrill at her words, even bigger than the things she had said over the phone. They meant little now, sounding so impersonal as I recalled them. Bella was standing right in front of me, speaking to my face. Plus, seraphic Bella had- the thought hit me hard and the muscles in my face took on a mind of there own and a goofy smile spread over my features, un-budging.

_Bella…_touched…_me._

Okay, well…slapped me, but that doesn't matter. Bella _touched me_. The muscles in my stomach clenched at that.

"What are you smiling at?" Bella's delicate voice brought an end to my train of thought, bringing me back into the land of the…not la-la land.

I swallowed hard, reflexively. The way Bella was looking at me, eyes soft, a small smile just because she's seen me smile, such a simple look but so compelling. That was something I really like about Bella, she was pleased when someone else was happy, she cared about others- even ones she's just met.

"Nothing," I shrugged, going for a nonchalant look.

Bella clearly doubted my lie, but she let it pass. "Okay then," her voice raised a few octaves as she raised her hands. "Don't tell me, but I won't forget. And when we get to know one another better, then I'll ask you again."

It was crystal that Bella wanted more to do with me, a flush of pride and excitement washed through me, so that I was drowning in it, like I could barely contain it all. "That sounds reasonable."

A rush of confidence overcame me with the promise Bella's words had given. I placed my palm on the base of Bella's back, feeling her body heat through her thin sweater, my body going on alert, the hand touching Bella feeling as though on fire.

I nudged Bella forward gently. Bella looked at me questioningly with those big brown puppy dog eyes that held so much depth that they shocked me every time I saw them, but I just smiled, completely genuine. "We'll get started then, shall we?"

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**Okay, this is my attempt at a sales pitch type thingy for Fan Fiction…to go along with my previous 'different attempts of asking for a review'.**

Okay folks! This is a **once** in a **life** time opportunity, you'd be **a fool** not to take it! Just push that violet button at the bottom of the page and you could win a chance to speak to the author of this fan fiction. Time is limited. The first 10 reviewers get a **sneak peak** into the future of these characters lives!

**Ugh, I feel dirty now that I've done that. I must never get into selling :-) **


	5. Chapter four

**Note: Sorry for the lateness. I've been busy, summer holidays have finished so ive been all about school lately. And my weekends have been pretty clouded, in a good way. My dad took us to MONSTER TRUCKS, it was awesome. And now I'm sick…yay…not…**

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It was out back in the garage that Mum and I did all things music. It was big for a garage and once you put carpet down, painted, added some shelves, furniture, and then add all of your apparatus you were pretty much set for quite a nice little class room.

Mums motto for working was to 'always have to make your student feel comfortable. You need to create a very bright and open learning environment to help release their branches as they expand into more greater trees.'

And you would think that letting these baby trees grow inside of a garage with walls all around you wouldn't really work, but you would be surprised with what she could do with a paintbrush, nails and a hammer. Esme Cullen, a woman of many talents, is what my dad likes to say.

My hand was still lightly on Bella's back as I led her to the garage. Inside, I was marvelling at my not freaking out that I touched _her_, that I could feel the warmth of her skin and every movement in her back when she moved through her sweater. Plus, she didn't try to shrug me off or anything!

I put my head down as I reluctantly took my hand away from her so that she didn't see it in my face. I pulled the keys out of my pocket and pushed the right one into the side door keyhole. I could feel Bella's eyes on me the whole time…as I nudged the door open, when I was feeling around for the light switch.

Now it was my turn to stare. I held the door open and locked my eyes onto her brown ones, "After you,"

The corners of Bella mouth twitched, suppressing a smile. Bella's eyes lowered to the ground, her teeth biting into her lower lip as she gave into that contagious smile. When Bella looked up again, her eyes were alight with wonder as she stepped forward into the light of the room.

I could see her eyes lock onto the opposite wall where a great many mantels, hooks and latches were dominating. But what was the overall eye catch was the great number of guitars- children's, adults, left handed, right handed, acoustic, electric, a violin. Then a range of woodwind instruments.

"Wow," Bella breathed as she took in all the instruments, her eyes moving around the other walls, where the keyboards sat on desks framing the room, the whiteboard on wheels, the posters, the stools- and beanbag, mums idea – the drum set in the corner. "You play these?"

The directed question made me snap out of my own staring. I shook my head but smiled anyway at the awe in her tone. "Not all of them, I mostly focus on the Piano and guitar. My mum plays the woodwind instruments, but being around her you pick a few things up."

Bella nodded; interest clearly in her eyes as they slid back to the drum set in the corner. "And what about those? Or is your mother a classic and a hard out rocker?" she teased.

"Actually," I started, pulling out the seat in front of the nearest keyboard. "_Those_ are my sisters." Bella accepted the seat and looked up at me curiously through her eyelashes.

"Your sister?" And then humour became evident in her features. "_Alice_Cullen? Feisty little thing?"

"Feisty, that's for sure." The memories of all the times she had beaten me up when we were little, before puberty hit and I had growth spurts that got me to six foot two inches came back to me…although she still manages to tickle me when I'm not expecting it.

Bella laughed at the look I must have given as I thought about Alice. "Hmm," she pondered. "As small as Alice is…I can picture her going hard out on those drums. Probably explains how she managed to beat the crap out of Eric last year in gym when he 'accidentally' landed on her chest."

It was my turn to chuckle now. "Ah, I remember that. I had to come and get her out of detention and the whole way home she had a proud smirk on her face." Even though my protective brotherly instincts should have kicked in when it came to Alice, I knew she could take care of herself. When she really needed my help, I would know, it takes a lot for her to swallow her pride when it came to being independent.

"Hmm, good times. Okay, lets get started or I won't ever learn anything."

Bella's snapped me back into the reality I had lost when talking about Alice, this wasn't a social call, it was a job. I had to keep reminding myself of that; Bella was just so easy to talk to. "Oh, right…So what exactly do you want to get out of learning piano?"

Bella stared at the keyboard with the notes written on each key with permanent marker as she answered.

"Well, I'm going to be seeing my mum soon- her birthday's coming up, and she's always wanted me to play the piano so I thought I should do something special for her on her day."

I nodded my understanding, picking up my special guitar from the rack on the wall just for the sake of having something to do with my hands. This guitar was an heirloom, a 1930 OM-45 Deluxe, one of only 14 ever made. Okay, it wasn't that old, it belonged to my grandfather who had given it to my mum and who she's given to me. It was incredibly special and worth a lot now.

But just because it was special didn't mean I didn't use it, I used it every chance I got- Which was probably too much since I have no social life! _Great_…

There was a question that had been plaguing my mind since yesterday. "So are you planning on learning all the way through- or just for something for you mother?" Translated, it meant how many lessons are we going to have together?

Bella pushed random keys on the keyboard, her delicate fingers putting barely any pressure on the keys. "Um, I think I just want to get something for my mum out of the way first, see how I like it you know? And then I'll see if I want to pursue the art."

Her words triggered something in me. I was determined to make sure she did like it if I got to spend more time with her. Mum's policy for comfortable suddenly seemed like a whole new insight to me now.

"Okay then, well I think before we get onto any particular song we'll start with the basics." I went over to the white board and rubbed out Tommy's Easter Bunnies Go Dancing At Easter from a few days before. _Stupid bunnies'…annoying eight year old_. "What do you already know?"

Bella face took on a pinkish tinge as she gave me a sheepish smile. "Oh, I don't know…" She trailed off, lowering her eyes to the ground, her eye lashes flaring out onto her skin. Bella looked so…alive and innocent when she blushed. "Not much," Bella traced the lines of the wood table with her finger. "I only remember one thing from when I was little and that's how to play hot cross buns".

"Well that's a good start then." I smiled encouraging at Bella, looking more embarrassed than I had ever seen her. "We'll go through the main notes to refresh your memory and you can sing as you go along." I turned back to the white board and wrote each note from C to B and put each singing note under each one. "Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti and back to Do," I explained, spinning back around.

Bella's face had lost its warm colour but was replaced with a stricken white, eyes bulging. "You want me to sing?" Bella asked, mortified beyond belief.

"Is that a problem? It's just me." A nobody…

"N-no," Bella stuttered, focusing her attention back on the keys. "It-its just that I didn't know that I'd have to sing as well."

"Well, I've found that in a lot of cases when you aren't really all that prepared to play a piece that singing covers up a lot of flaws, and you don't have that much time."

Bella turned to me then, her eyes darting to my eyes and then away again as I stared, trying to coach that vulnerability from her face. "It's just," Bella began, pausing, and then staring straight at me, trusting me with something I could tell was important. "It's not going to be just a family event; mum's going to have friend's over- lots of friends. Getting up there and playing some rushed piece is one thing, getting up there and singing as well….that's a whole different story."

Before I knew what came over me, I bent down and gently placed my hand on her knee. Her eyes were locked on my hand for a moment and colour slowly tinted at her cheeks.

"It's just me here, you should just go for it and don't worry about anything else until it's closer to your mothers birthday."

Bella nodded and her agreement made me feel like everything was brighter, just knowing that Bella trusted me with something she didn't anyone else. Brilliant.

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**Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, Be a good sport and leave a Review!! **

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**----Happy Valentines couples!-----**

Well…valentines for me and others was yesterday, for others, Happy V day for today!

**And in my case**

**----Happy Loners Day Singles!---- **Valentines is a stupid day! (and ive heard MANY MARRIED people even say that.)**  
**


	6. Chapter Five

**Chapter 5****- For You I Will**

**IMPORTANT: **The song I've picked out for her to sing is just this little short thing, kind of like one of those annoying pieces you have to keep doing over and over again, its simple piano, and simple words. Its nothing amazing.

"I can Sing a Rainbow" by Delta Goodrem.

**Recap:**** "You want me to sing?"**

* * *

_Edward's Point of View:_

The day after Bella's music lesson had to be a day to add to the list of great days…Of course that list had only started since that fateful day when Bella called me to schedule a lesson, since then everyday has been a great one- _more than great_.

I was walking down the corridor that morning, disappearing into the morning rush, as usual. I stuck to the walls, trying as best as I could not to get knocked into.

Just one more corner.

The amount of people became less as more people arrived at their class rooms. Relieved, I pushed myself off the wall and walked normally. Usually at this time Bella was walking in the opposite direction so I was slightly on edge as I moved further and further towards the bend. I wanted to know how she would react to me now, would she actually see me.

Sure enough, Bella came round the corner I was about to go past, re-adjusting the straps of her bag. I tensed and swallowed convulsively. _Look up, look up, look up, please dear god, look up._

As if she could hear my mental pleading…or maybe it was just her aware of someone's eyes watching every movement she made, she lifted her head. Her eyes moved over the hall, the lockers, moving over me…

Disappointment made my face fall and I stopped mid-step. _She must have a lot on her mind, _I tried to convince myself.

Bella's head suddenly snapped back in my direction, and her eyes lit with recognition. She smiled and her face seemed to brighten. I grinned back, waving slightly as she walked by.

I felt someone stop behind me. It was John Clayton, a boy who was not much more popular than I was. He looked so hopeful that she was smiling at him- that was me a few days ago.

A rush of pride made my grin turn into a full fledged smile; that _wasn't_ me anymore, and I didn't stand there like an idiot! Alice can no longer say, "…A _little_ bit delayed Edward".

Bella began to walk backwards so she could wave back at me, raising her eye brows playfully, and smiling impishly. I could almost hear her saying, 'See, I _told_ you I would say hi to you'. I couldn't help but laugh lightly at her efforts.

Out of no where she dropped about an inch and she let out a small yelp. I stepped forward, my arms stretching out naturally, as though to catch her. Bella stepped back into the wall, bracing her fall.

Her eyes searched out to me, and chagrin coloured her cheeks. She pressed her pink full lips together and lowered her eyes before mouthing 'bye' and rushing off back down the hall.

I laughed out loud, heading towards class at a much slower pace, lost in my thoughts. Bella was just so…adorable.

* * *

"Okay, okay, I'm ready," Bella laughed, shaking her head, trying to clear her shakiness.

After our last lesson I had given her a task to flick through a folder full of some of the simpler beginner piano pieces, the kinds that you had to repeat over and over and over till you wanted to scream and throw the instrument out a two-storey window. She had to choose one to work on first.

Mum always said that giving your student freedom in what they do makes a happy student- which is true; they can't exactly complain about something they chose themselves.

Now it was time for her to show me what she chose- and for me to help her out with it, help her to get it right.

"Go on, you've got _nothing_ to worry about." I assured her, and pulling on the piano stool for her to sit on.

Bella accepted the seat and started turning the pages of the folder, searching for the one she had picked, hunched over the pages protectively, not letting me see.

I watched on with amusement dominating my features.

Hesitantly, Bella placed the open book on the stand in front of us, peaking at me from the corner of her eye, watching for what I thought. I didn't understand what she was so anxious about.

Curious, I looked away from her for the first time and looked at the title.

_I can Sing a Rainbow_

I raised an eye brow; _this_ is what she was being so protected about? I thought, perplexed.

Bella mistook my expression and began to give her reasoning. "I just like it because it's kind of…unusual and kind of makes you think of some abstract world…" I couldn't help but stare at Bella in slight awe, she saw so much more than what's on the outside.

I glanced back at one of the few lines, seeing what she meant immediately, 'Listen with your eyes, listen with your ears, and sing everything you see'.

"I know…it's really cheesy and lame, but…I just…" I shook my head before she could continue.

"No, I understand Bella. It's a good choice." I smiled reassuringly, and relief practically radiated from her as she slumped, loosing the tenseness. "Now, you have to try and play it. Did you memorise the basic notes?"

"Aha- but don't be expecting anything amazing, I have to sing this as well remember."

"Don't put your self down, get a move on. Just play the piano bit first, you don't have to sing…yet."

Bella screwed up her nose, a little reluctantly placing her fingers on the keys, pressing lightly on the first note, then the second. Bella paused, concentrating on the sheet in front of her, hitting the next few notes at the wrong time. I watched as her face became red with stress.

"It's okay Bella, you'll get the hang of it." Bella moved her hands away from the piano quickly, looking at me in exasperation, clearly already doubting herself. "Trust me."

Bella's facial expression seemed to soften a little and I could see the resolve in her eyes, the determination, the strength that I don't think many people saw. "I do," she turned back to the piano before I had any time to react- for which I was thankful.

'I do', immediately sent my mind to a wedding, Bella in a long flowing white dress, her face practically glowing and her brown eyes conveying so much trust into a future, with me, as the groom. I blinked, snapping myself away from the imagery before it could get to the 'you may now kiss the bride' part.

It was stupid, she had barely known me for a day and I was already imaging her in a wedding dress. What kind of teenage guy am I?

"Practise makes perfect, right?" Bella started the simple piece over again, much better than before; you could see the determination to get it right on her features. Her fingers clumsily slid onto the wrong key once, but otherwise the minute long song was done well.

"Okay, that was a good start." I encouraged. "Do it again." Bella did as she was told immediately. Smiling to myself, I wondered how long it would take her to begin to moan. "Keep your wrist in line with your arm." I murmured and Bella did so, smirking slightly. I think she could tell already that this was going to become annoying quickly.

A few more goes later, it was time for her to try and get the whole singing thing down. I could tell she really wasn't looking forward to this and everything about her screamed, 'No!'

"I'll play it for you at first, and when you know it down pat you can play _and_ sing it."

Signalling to her with my eyes, I started playing, adding a bit more into the piece to make it sound better and fuller, but Bella didn't sing so I stopped.

"Edward," I still felt that thrill when she said my name directly, even though now it was laced in with shaky desperation. "I seriously cannot-"

I put my hands on her shoulders, staring into her eyes trying to will her out of her doubt. "Don't worry Bella, you'll regret it if you don't. I'm not going to judge, I'm here to help, remember?"

I took Bella's hand in my own, feeling the warmth of her soft skin, and placed her palm flat against her stomach. "You need to sing from here, your diaphragm, tense your stomach, your voice is stronger and steadier when it's supported by the diaphragm."

I looked up to gouge her response, see if she was taking this in. Bella was peeking down at me, looking slightly flushed. I found myself finding it hard to take my eyes away from her, those eyes…so deep, like a water bed- this was all so surreal.

Her eyes glanced to our hands that were still together on her stomach. My eyes widened as I realised I hadn't moved away from her, hastily removing my hand from on top of hers.

Oh jeez, Edward! Can you scare her off any better?

"Sorry," I muttered quietly, keeping my eyes downcast. My hand already missed the feel of her warm skin.

Bella laughed a little, surprised at my sudden apology. "It's okay". Dipping her head, she bit her lip to try and _un_-successfully hide a smile, watching me through her lashes.

_Wow, she really must think I'm a dork now…I can feel my face getting hot._

Blushing stupidly I forced myself to start playing, and this time I heard Bella take her deep breath and a second later her voice was flooding my ears and was all I could concentrate on. Of course there were bumps, she was clearly nervous and shaken, but there was something….you could hear it, the…pureness and rawness of it.

She wasn't over done, trying to hard to be something she wasn't, it was true and that's what makes something brilliant.

The song came to a close and Bella was bright red in the face and not looking at me. "You're a liar."

Bella snapped up to stare at me in disbelief, blanching. "Liar? Where'd that come from?"

I smirked slightly, shaking my head back and forth. "And you said you can't sing, please." Bella regained her previous shade, mouthing 'oh'. "Okay, again. Remember, diaphragm." I put her hand back on her stomach and Bella rolled her eyes, though smiling.

The hour progressed in much the same fashion, every minute Bella growing more and more exasperated, and I more and more amused.

At this moment I had my lips tightly pressed together, shoulders shaking uncontrollably, as Bella was glaring at the music sheet on the stand that she had gone over already a thousand times. Her lips were pursed, her eyebrows lowered and even the way she was hitting the notes sounded sharp and almost painful. She was past this for sure now.

Bella became aware of my laughing and turned her glowering orbs to me. Unfortunately, this wasn't enough to shut me up, it did the opposite and I couldn't hold back my laughter.

"What? Why are you laughing?" Her face had softened immensely and I could tell how worried she was getting at my laughing.

I tried to blow my laughing off, so I said as nonchalantly as possible, while a grin tugged at my lips, "It's nothing, seriously, nothing"

Bella picked up that cute, playful glaring expression. "Liar, you think my suffering and ultimate embarrassment is funny!"

"Well...only if you want to be melodramatic about it."

"…Shoosh," Bella smirked and nudged me playfully with her shoulder. "Smart arse"

I put my hands up and shrugged, unrepentant, feeling more comfortable than I ever thought possible in the presence of a beauty like Bella. Bella laughed silkily, shaking her head at me.

She studied me carefully then, a look of almost wonder staring back at me. "I still can't believe that I never noticed you before…" I shifted slightly, having to look away from the intensity of her soft gaze, bringing Bella and myself both into the presence. Bella giggled nervously, standing up and glancing at her watch. "Anyway, I better get going, I have homework I don't want to do."

I stood up with her, and walked her to the door, feeling my heart sink the same as it had yesterday when she had to leave. "Okay...Well, I guess I'll see you around. You did well today."

"Ha, yeah, I guess being able to glare at a piece of paper for ages is quite an achievement." I chuckled; glad that she could make a joke at her own expense. "I'll see you tomorrow."

I pushed my hand through my hair without thinking, making it stick up, and then remembered that it made me look like an eight year old.

_Tommy…_My eyes squinted.

Offhandedly, I tried to flatten my hair a bit. "Yeah, I'll see you."

Blushing a little, Bella shifted her weight from foot to foot, looking torn between leaving and staying on the porch. "We should have lunch together sometime- or do something non-music related."

I dropped my hand instantly from the top of my head, dumbfounded. _Did she….No, no…no, of course not…but…_ "Ah, yeah- sure, that'd be great."

Bella smiled brightly, nodding. "Okay then, well I'll see you when I see you." She walked to her old rusted truck and got in before I could reply with more awkward good byes. Her truck roared into life, and I waved still out of sorts.

_Bella_ wanted _me_ to have lunch with her! My face split into the hugest grin ever and I felt like laughing. Ah, everything was getting better and better by the day.

There was a creek behind me and I jumped and spun around, eyes wide. Alice leaned against the doorway.

"I just thought I should come out here to make sure you don't disgrace the porch by dancing like you did last time on it" My eyebrows furrowed slightly, but I still couldn't get the smile off. "Seriously man, that was just disturbing."_  
_

* * *

_I'm so sorry for the lack of chapters, really I am. This chapter has been sitting ¾ finished for over a month. There has just been so much on my mind lately, I've been having trouble concentrating on Fan Fiction, I hardly read FF's anymore and my hotmail is just over loaded with un-opened alerts and stuff. _

_I guess you could say that right now, I'm learning a lot about myself, and trying to fill in the blanks. We will all have been there…And yeah, a lot of teenage stupidity going on here!_

_But its okay, I just yesterday made a whole plan of EACH chapter for this story. I said it would be a short story, 10 chapters in total, and I know exactly what will be in each so hopefully I won't waste more time on figuring out what comes next._

**Shine ya shoe governor? Just one review… --Holds out hat--**

OME! Did you all see the MTV interview thing with Kristen and Robert! WOW wow wow wow wow wow, that was all i could say afterwards, even now, all i can say about it is wow wow wow wow...its...WOW! IM SO EXCITED! IT LOOKS AMAZING!


	7. Chapter six

**Chapter 6: **

_Edward's Point of View_

I now believe that Trigonometry is the best class ever. Never before had I been so excited to get into that classroom. Sure, before I got to see Bella, but I was just wanting something I couldn't have…and that _sucks_.

Now, she wasn't mine…but I was _there, in her life_, and that was way more than I could ever ask for. It was amazing, brilliant, outstanding…

The bell rang, echoing through my ears. The teacher started yelling out last minute instructions while everyone began packing up.

I glanced in Bella's direction out of habit. Uncharacteristically, Bella was already pushing her bag up onto her shoulders, and then was out of the room.

_Okay then…_

I guess that was my hope of talking to her this period flying out the door. Sighing, I tucked my final book into my bag and shuffled out of the room with everyone else. I admit I was disappointed; it just proved how much I unconsciously hoped.

She probably had something- or someone important to see this lunch.

But the first thing I saw once out the door was Bella leaning against the wall opposite the classroom door. I was…confused. Bella smiled and came and walked in line with me.

"Hey Edward," Bella said casually.

I grinned slightly, "Hi," Scratching the back of my head I tried to think of something else to say, not wanting to leave it at just 'hi', which was lame. "Um, what's up?" _Well that was just…brilliant._

She shrugged, "Nothing in particular".

I nodded, facing forward and trying not to stare at her so much. Something I notice about walking with Bella, I was in the middle of the hallway, not by the wall, and people seemed to be moving _around_ us. Wow, so much better than getting shoved.

And people were staring, actually paying attention to us. I tried not to stick too much on the 'us' part of my thoughts, those words weren't good to hope for.

"A-are you sure you want to be walking with me?" I couldn't help but ask, eyeing a certain Lauren who was eyeing us like we were on a cat walk or something as she was the judging panel.

It was so mind blowing to think that Bella- Bella! – would want anything to do with me, she just kept shocking me over and over.

When I looked back to Bella she looked almost…mad. "What are you talking about?"

Her eyes were piercing, and I stumbled over my words. "I-I just mean- you know, that I'm not…not. People are staring."

"Let them stare, I don't care. _You_ shouldn't care either, its human nature to stare; everyone is interested in everyone else's lives."

"That's true I guess." I stopped in front of my locker, and Bella stopped with me. I was feeling very self-conscious as I put in the combination to open my locker. I wracked my brain trying to remember if there was anything that _shouldn't _be seen in there.

I'm sure I took my gym clothes home…

I cracked open my locker door, hoping Bella didn't notice I was being weird by peeking inside before I let it creak open fully.

Yes! No gym clothes!

"So, tell me about you. I feel like we always end up talking about me. I want to know you."

'I want to _know_ you'. Oh thank you what ever Powers that Be that are up there.

I tried my hardest to subdue my grin. She wanted to get to know me! Oh, happy day…

"What do you want to know, exactly?" I asked, amused, while stacking my books up better in my locker.

Bella exaggerated thinking, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm…let's see…" Bella glanced at the closest folder to her in my locker. I followed her gaze. My face dropped…_oh no_… Bella looked extremely curious, and stared at me questioningly. "You write your own music?"

I laughed nervously, already feeling embarrassed. I tried to look innocent, making my eyes wide and wearing a polite smile. "Not really," I closed the locker door and leaned against it.

"Not really?"

"Well…I mean, yes, but they aren't anything worth looking at."

"I'm sure they're great, better than I could ever do." I raised my eyebrows, where was she going with this? "Can I see them?" She pressed.

Of course, I laughed, "Nope".

Bella's eyebrows furrowed, but her eyes were amused. "That's mean-"

"Hey guys!" Bella and I both turned at the sound of Gracie's breathless voice. She was smiling wide, glancing between the two of us. I smiled politely and Bella said a small, 'hi'. "What are you guys talking about?"

I glanced at Bella, re-adjusting my bag. I don't know about Bella, but it kind of killed the conversation when Gracie so impolitely butted in. Truly, Gracie's a sweet girl, brilliant as anything…but she was…uncomfortably intense sometimes.

"Oh, um" Bella looked at me for a second before smiling at Gracie. I guess she was feeling the same way right now. "I was just trying to persuade Edward into letting me see the music he's written."

"Really?" Gracie looked overly interested. "I didn't realise you two were on…such…bonding…terms." There was almost a…suspicious edge to her tone.

Bella and I locked eyes again, and then turned back to Gracie, embarrassed- both of us. "Yeah…new found friends!" Bella answered, patting my shoulder blade lightly. The contact made my muscles tighten for a moment, and I let out a breath.

Would I ever get used to this? God, I hoped so…

Gracie sniffed, eyeing us speculatively. "I see…"

This was just too awkward. Bella had her lips pressed together, eyes downcast, rocking on her heels. My lips twitched into a smile, and I tried not to chuckle at the pure weirdness of the moment.

I decided to break the still quiet. "You know what? We better get going before-"

"Bella!" Mike Newton sauntered over, making our triangle of people into a square. "Hey, are you going to the cafeteria, or what?"

Well that was rude. I stared evenly at Mike, who was going to barge in next? Jessica, Lauren, Tyler, Katie, the _Janitor_?

"Oh hey Mike," Bella said, somewhat reluctantly. "I'm just talking to Gracie and Edward. I'll be there soon."

Mike appraised Gracie for the first time and I swear, Gracie was in some sort of trance. She was just staring at him, wide eyed and pink faced. Looks like her attention was off Bella and I for a little while, unfortunately, I knew Mike was…protective…of Bella. Not good.

He turned to me; I saw the challenge and defiance in his gaze as he took me in- probably seeing me for the first time. There was tension in the air, I could feel it. I met his gaze evenly. He must have been at least 3 inches shorter than me…

"Edward, Gracie, this is Mike." Bella continued, crossing her arms over chest, looking like she didn't want to be doing these introductions.

"…Hi," Gracie drawled, almost in wonder. Mike looked at her again, smiling a little before turning back to me. I kept my mouth shut; I'd never liked Mike Newton. Everything about him put me on edge, I didn't trust him.

He held out his hand, smiling more politely…fake. "Nice to meet you," I took his outstretched hand, shaking briefly, but returning the same level of force in the hold.

"You too,"

Mike grinned a little; he seemed amused by this all. That's what over confidence does, makes you think you're all when actually you just look like a jerk.

He put all his attention back on Bella, turning his back to Gracie. She didn't mind, she just stared at the back of his head.

"So Bella, you sure you're coming this Saturday?"

Bella glanced at me from the corner of her eye, "Ah, yeah. I promised didn't I? Especially, since I couldn't go to that new diner with you yesterday."

Diner? Bella was with me yesterday…She blew Mike off for me yesterday? I watched the exchange with new found interest.

"Yeah, that was a shame. But at least you get to come to the beach this weekend. It will be great. It's no fun with out you."

Ugh, typical Mike, flirt, flirt and more flirt. Admittedly, part of me was jealous that he was outgoing enough to be that…free with the girls, so to speak.

Bella laughed, but there was an edge to it. She turned to me, enthusiastically, trying to keep me in the conversation. I admired her attempts. "Have you ever been to First Beach, Edward?"

It sounded vaguely familiar. "Is that in La Push?"

"Yeah," Mike answered, bored, clearly not happy with the turn of direction of conversation.

"Can't say that I have then".

Bella smiled wide, looking excited. "You should come with us this weekend then! It'll be fun."

My heart thumped. Bella was inviting me to go with her. She _wanted_ me there.

I smiled wide, glancing at Mike. His face hardened and he glared at me with more ferocity then before. It didn't bug me, like I said, he was protective of Bella. But he wasn't her boy friend, and it was _her_ that had invited me.

"Yes, you should come along." Mike added for Bella's benefit.

Not wanting to seem too eager I shrugged and told them, "I'll think about it."

"Alright, well, Bella? Are you coming?"

Bella looked between the two of us, before stopping on Mike. "Ah, yeah, in a second. I just need to say bye to Edward, I'll meet you in the cafeteria in two minutes- Promise," Mike seized me up once more, before nodding and walking away.

I watched as he got farther away. Gracie started walking in the same direction, with out so much as a good bye.

"Ouch, I'm sorry about Mike. He has…a bad habit of coming across…hostile."

Why was she apologizing for Mike? That's just Bella, just part of the reason I admire her so much…so caring.

"It's okay, really. I'm used to getting shunned." I said lightly.

Bella frowned and muttered, "No one should be used to being shunned. Anyway, I won't shun you. Please, please, _please_ come this Saturday. I really do want you to come."

I bit my lip, fighting the urge to yell 'YES!'. "If you want me there…" I trailed off, inviting her to agree.

"I do, really. Eleven AM, Saturday. We're meeting at the Newton's sporting good's store."

"Got it, I'll be there."

"Good, I'll see you later." Bella started off down the hall, but stopped and turned back around. "And eventually, I'm going to hear some of those songs." She smiled big once more, turned on her heal and went in the direction of the cafeteria.

Woah, that girl…

I opened my locker back up as fast as I could, stuffing the combination up twice. When I finally got it open I snatched the folder labelled, 'My Music', and roughly pushed it down into my bag.

I think I may have to burry it…

--

_Sorry, again, Mike Newton is not a nice guy in this Fic, I actually don't mind Mike, he adds normalcy to the books, and…I think he's amusing, he's nice. But for this, he has to be stuck up to fit with the story. Everyone takes the piss out of Mike, me included, SORRY Mike! He's just too…easy to manipulate into the bad guy, you know?_

_Wow, male hormones, huh? It's quite amusing._

_**-gets out Ukulele, takes deep breath-**_

"**HAKUNA MATATA! WHAT A WONDERFUL PHRASE! HAKUNA MATATA! AIN'T NO PASSING CRAZE! IT MEANS NO WORRIES, FOR THE REST OF YOUR DAYS. IT'S OUR PROBLEM FREE, PHILOSOPHY! HAKUNA MATATA!" **

– **oh yeah, you loved that, huh?-**

**-**_**Holds out hat- **_**Review?**

What's sad is that I actually have that on my IPod… (:


	8. Chapter seven

**Chapter 7: **

Outside the Newton's store Saturday morning, the sky was dim and wasn't looking like any sun would be coming out anytime soon. But at least it wasn't raining, one plus.

Most of Bella's friends were already there when I turned up. I parked further away from them all. I turned off the engine and rested my hands on the steering wheel, taking a deep breath.

Something was gnawing at my insides. I groaned and tipped my head back on the head rest, staring up at the cloudy sky. What was I doing here? I didn't know these people, they didn't know me.

What was I supposed to do? Bella wasn't here yet. Should I just get out and go introduce myself into these people that don't even know I exist. What it really came down to was _why_ am I doing this?

The answer is simple: for Bella.

I know what I wanted, and I know that Bella wants me around. I just have to get over my nerves. I was invited, nothing to worry about. It sounded so simple. It should be simple, but it wasn't. My stomach twisted but I ignored it. I just had to stop over thinking _everything_.

With a new bout of determination I cracked the door open and stepped out into the light breeze. I looked towards where the kids from school were, talking in their circles of friends. Before my eyes they seemed to look bigger than I knew they actually were, like walls, blocking everyone else out.

God, I was _pathetic._

I slammed the door shut, annoyed at myself. Why was I so intimidated already?

Jessica and Angela, who were talking to each other in front of Jessica's car, heard my door slam and spun round at the sound.

Okay, stupid-_er_.

Both of them stared at me for a second, each trying to figure out where they had probably seen me before. I looked away quickly, pretending to scratch the side of face so I could hide from their curious eyes.

From the corner of my eye I saw Jessica give me a once over, before turning back round, loosing interest quickly. But Angela lingered on me, still trying to place me. As soon as she turned back to Jessica I sighed.

Putting my hands in my pockets to keep them warm, I leant back onto the car, glaring at the Newton's hiking goods store. Bella, pleased get here soon, I prayed silently.

"You're Bella's friend, right?"

I jumped at the unexpected voice at my side, accidentally hitting my knuckles against the car. I spun to the source of the sound. Angela Webber was there, smiling politely.

I smiled back awkwardly. "Ah, yeah; how'd you know?" I tried my best to rub my knuckles as conspicuously as possible.

"Oh, she told me you were coming."

I couldn't keep the confusion from clouding my face. Bella talks about me?

"Why don't you come over with the rest of us?" Angela continued, already starting to edge backwards.

I cleared my throat, glancing once more where everyone stood. "Um sure".

As we approached, Angela keeping pace with me as I dawdled along, Jessica looked at me again in a weird way. Lauren, who seemed to be trying to keep Tyler's attention on her, stared at me a second before talking about some CD.

I could already tell I wasn't going to like her.

"Hey," Jessica said, bringing my attention away from assessing the other people that were there, who smiled or nodded in greeting.

I stared just a moment before grinning a little. "Hi,"

"So," she began, stepping closer. "I've seen you before…What's your name again?"

I didn't say anything for a moment, stopped short at Jessica's bluntness. "Um…It's Edward. Edward Cullen"

Jessica smiled big at me, "Got it."

The next person to arrive was Mike; he practically strutted towards us, sucking up attention.

Bella was next to arrive. Seeing her here, I stepped forward, a smile automatically creeping onto my face.

"Bella!" Mike yelled. "You made it!"

Bella smiled a little, heading straight towards where Angela and I stood. "I told you I would, Mike." Then she looked at me and both her and my own smile seemed to get bigger. "You came," was the first thing Bella said to me, sounding pleased.

"Of course," I answered simply. A movement from Angela caught my eye. She had her hand over her mouth and was looking between Bella and me with mischievous eyes.

I was about to ask what it was that was making her look at us like that when Jessica jumped in. "So Edward, how do you know Bella here exactly?"

As the numbers got bigger, the need for cars did too. Mike was going to be taking people in his Suburban, and Lee brought his mums minivan. But since people had invited others, it was clear we weren't all going to fit. Jessica volunteered to drive the people left over.

Jessica grabbed hold of my arm and pulled me over to her car. Bella followed behind trying not to laugh at my face and being so…forcefully removed.

We sat in the backseat together, and Conner sat in the passenger side next to Jess. Bella and I were quiet most of the way. I mostly watched the green forestry blur by as we drove. Jessica just babbled on about something, seeming to be talking Conner's ear off.

Ever so slowly, I turned to glance at the angel beside me, only to be met with a dark flowing curtain of hair. I wish she wasn't hiding her face from me.

Seeming to feel me looking at her she hesitantly slid her eyes over to me. I looked down immediately, trying not to smile.

When I looked up again, she was just turning her head away. This time I couldn't help it, I smiled wide. This was too funny.

When she glanced at me from the corner of her eye again I didn't turn away, instead staring right into her deep brown eyes. She looked away again, this time shaking with silent laughter. I kept watching her, watched her look again and this time laugh not so silently, causing me to break out in breathy chuckling. I finally let it stop, looking to Conner's seat in front of me.

I calmed down a little, so I checked to see if Bella had as well. When I looked she was doing the same checking up, as soon as we saw each other we both couldn't help but break out in giggles.

First Beach was a stone beach, bordered by thick forest. Mike was leading the way as we picked our way towards a ring of driftwood logs.

Some of the other guys started scrubbing around for drier piles of driftwood to start a fire, while Bella sat me down on one of the logs next to her. My heart seemed to thud when she pulled me down with her.

We chatted animatedly for what must have been half an hour. Not long enough when it came to Bella. The way she talked about even the simplest things enthralled me, her mind was so deep and every word that came from her mouth had something to it.

Mike and a few of the other guys and girls started gathering people up, getting ready to go look at the rock pools. My ears peaked at 'rock pool'. I always loved them, the different strange marine life.

Bella peered at me, assessing. "Do you want to go have a look?" Before I could answer she was standing up and waiting for me to follow.

I grinned, "Sure."

The others were ahead, chasing and pushing each other teasingly. Bella and I were taking our time over the colourful stones, willing to just enjoy the time to relax and not hurry.

The rocks were slippery as we got closer and I had to watch how I stepped. I kept with Bella's pace, standing just behind her, my hands spread towards her at the ready.

"So Edward," Bella began, stepping over a piece of drift wood. "Seen anyone you liked?" A sly look came onto her face, but there was a probing curiosity.

I laughed awkwardly, surprised at the sudden topic. I tried not to stare at her to much and let her know I was all about _her_, and instead opted for focusing on the rock under my feet. "Not any of those ones." I murmured thoughtfully. I tried to lighten my tone, "Besides, I doubt anyone would want to be with me anyway."

Bella frowned, staring straight into my eyes. "I don't see why anyone _wouldn't_ want to be with you, Edward."

I breathed in deep. If she was thinking that then why wasn't _she_ with me? I banished the thought from my head. That was selfish and stupid to think. I shook my head to clear it.

"Ha, yeah right." Bella opened her mouth to object but I asked a question to stop her. "What about you? Why are you here with me rather than some other amazingly lucky guy?"

Bella giggled, stopping to face me. "Are you saying you're amazingly lucky to be in my presence? I'm flattered." She put her hand to her heart and rolled her eyes then became serious again. "Most of the guys around here…They're nice enough and all. But I just really…Ugh, it's too hard to explain."

"No, no, go on, I don't mind if you ramble." I said lightly, while really my mind was reeling at getting into Bella's mind when it comes to guys…_I_ was a guy.

"Thanks," she took a moment to sort through her words. "My parents split after their first year married, school sweethearts. They don't last long- early relationships I mean. So I just think that it's better to wait until the right guys comes along," she met my eyes then. "I'm not in any rush to have a boyfriend. I'd rather it be the right one's that are worth it…"

I averted my eyes to the stony ground beneath, breaking away from the warm eyes that had had me trapped; processing what she had told me. Curiosity surged with in me, matching the twisting and clenching at hearing about her view on guys…I was most definitely not in that 'right guy' category…I hoped beyond belief I was, but what I hoped meant nothing.

Before I could stop myself, the question slipped out. "Have you come across the 'right guy' yet?" I couldn't stop the bitterness from dripping from my words.

Bella glanced at me surprised by sudden change in mood, before looking straight forward again. _Crap,_ I thought, _please say I didn't scare her!_ I tried to rid the clouds of turmoil on my face. She glanced at me quickly again, and I honestly tried to look as un …_intense_ as possible.

Bella seemed to notice the change and continued on, looking almost relieved. "Across…I think maybe. He just doesn't seem to be returning the feelings," Bella's eyes bore into my own and I found myself unable to pull away. She seemed to be searching for something. "…and I'm to shy to do anything about it." She got out after a long pause.

My forehead creased. As much as I wished this guy was me, I had to do the unselfish thing…As long as Bella was happy…I was…somewhat happy. "You should just say something. I'm sure this guy wouldn't be able to say no."

Bella frowned, like that wasn't what she wanted to hear. "How would _you_ feel about that?" Bella pressed, confusing me. What do I have to do with this?

I thought carefully about my answer, going through everything in my head first. "I'd- I'd," I stuttered nervously. "I would miss you," I admitted, my cheeks warming up. "You would probably spend all your time with this guy and I wouldn't see you as much as I do." I met Bella's intense gaze with just as much force, feeling and meaning everything I said, like it was already happening. I could see it in my head and didn't like it one bit. It all shone through and seemed to make my words more strong. "I really do love having you around, Bella."

Bella's face seemed to get brighter; one corner of her mouth lifted slightly and her face was clear and almost…dazed.

And then she slipped.

My outstretched arms that were still at the ready- luckily caught hold of her jacket. I tried to get a better grip on her as her back was leaning awkwardly against my knee and she couldn't get her feet right.

_Serious moment breaker, that's for sure._

I reached my arm around her, supporting her from her waist.

Her _waist_…

I shook my head, getting rid of the feelings that single thought produced. I pulled her up and Bella clutched onto my arms, helping herself up as well.

"Bella, are you okay?"

I searched her face for any sign on pain, but all there was a very red hot blood boiling beneath her skin as she smiled sheepishly, hiding embarrassment as much as possible. "I'm fine," she breathed, not letting go of my arms.

"You're sure? No scratches, bruises, any numbness? My dad's a doctor- in training."

"I'm fine, really. Just moss covered rock plus my uncoordinated feet. No big deal."

Bella smiled at me reassuringly, still an amazing shade of red. I sighed, relieved, before grinning back slightly starting to see the humour in the situation.

"Edward? You know what you said before I _embarrassingly_ decided to say hello to the ground?"

I became serious again, feeling as though something important was about to be said. Something I needed to listen to. It made me nervous…yet there was underlying excitement.

"Edward, I really love sharing my time with you too. I've only known you what- a week and a bit? But you must be one of the people I'm closest with…" My heart rammed inside my chest and a rush of happiness made me smile.

"Same here,"

Bella grinned at my agreement, but seemed jittery and…scared? What was I oblivious to here? I nodded for her to continue, keeping my expression reassuring. Bella licked her lips, swallowing hard. Lost as to what she had to say, I almost forgot her hands that were still secure on my forearms…_almost._

"Edward, that _guy_…He's-"

"Bella! Long time no see!" A male voice shouted, cutting Bella short. Her hands tightened on my arms and she glanced to the direction the voice had come from reflexively.

I looked too, frowning. What had she's been going to say about that 'guy'? The way she started the sentence was almost like that 'guy' was me…but fate had a sick way of making it sound that way and then ruining it…which I guess the interruption had done.

There was a guy I didn't recognising making his way across the beach towards us, a huge smile plastered on his face, waving enthusiastically. Judging by the little roundness on his face and his lanky build he looked about fifteen.

Bella turned back to me, frowning and exasperated at being interrupted, before forming a perfectly polite smile on her face and pulling away from me to greet the intruder.

"Hey Jake, it's been too long."

I sighed, closing my eyes tight in frustration. When would things ever be easy?

* * *

An hour later a light sheet of rain was falling and Bella and I were again in the backseat of Jessica's car. Jessica had some boppy music playing and was humming along with in, occasionally singing the words. Conner was ready to start banging his head against the window; I think when the song had said something about an albatross he gave up being tolerant. Now he and Jess were bickering about what station to change it to.

"I don't think your friend Jacob liked me very much." I whispered to Bella, who was staring out the window.

She turned in her seat towards me and leant her temple on the head rest, watching me. "Don't worry about him. He's always been," she struggled to find a word to describe him. "…demanding, I guess, of my attention. Charlie always teases me about it." She smiled wryly thinking about it.

I thought back to when Jacob had shown up. It was true…demanding of attention would be correct. He talked to Bella, very rarely to me, but Bella kept trying to pull me into conversation which was encouraging.

I actually liked Jacob, he seemed nice, funny. The jokes he made were hilarious and he naturally had a good nature about him. It was just the whole defensiveness he had round me and the 'have Bella to myself' bit that put me on edge.

Bella continued on, "He's sometimes like the older brother I never had…that happens to be two years younger than me. Other times he's…a bit more admiring than I'd like."

I nodded in understanding. I definitely got the admiring bit…I didn't blame him, Bella was just…Wow.

"You can't blame him for the admiration though." I said softly, before I could stop myself.

Bella looked at me with wide eyes, and I worried if I had said too much. Her face softened, relieving me. She glanced downwards, an impish smile lingering on her face as warm colour tinted her cheeks. She met my gaze once more, embarrassed but clearly pleased at the comment. I grinned at her.

* * *

_Edward is so clueless…It's almost painful…Darn Jacob…Don't worry though, that's the only Jacob interference there will be. And the good stuff will be very soon. XD I just re-read some of it…my gosh…I just realised there was some flirting going on…LOL, I think I'M the clueless one now…_

**Bad news: I won't be able to update probably for the next 2-3 weeks- hence long chapter. I have all my half yearly's in the next few weeks. I'm in year 10 and doing my School Certificate this year and so it's the first time I've had anything like the way these Half Yearly's are being done. We get our own Time table for that full week of testing, and the tests are longer or something. The way it's done is kind of exciting…but at the same time…TESTS! Ewww, not looking forward to it.**

_I got_ **The Host**! _FINALLY being in Australia has paid off for something Stephenie Meyer related. OH! AND THERE MAY BE A RELEASE PARTY THING HERE IN AUSSIE TOO! I FREAKED! I'M SO HAPPY! I AM DEFINITELY GOING TO GO IF THERE ENDS UP BEING ENOUGH NUMBERS...I already have it all planned out…_


	9. Chapter Eight

Chapter 8:

**Sorry people for the lateness. I've been busy and went through a stage of writers block…sort of… I think it would be called writers block. I got inspiration for this other fan fic story and then I was writing bits and pieces (already up to chapter 4, but not posting till this story is finished.) and then I got inspiration for a story that is my own… for a real book… though it probably wouldn't get published…but still…worth a shot right? And I've written the first chapter of that and am half way through the second. And basically, my mind couldn't concentrate on this till now. **

**Chapter 8: **

_Edwards Point of View_

--

"So my Mum was wondering if you wanted to stay for dinner," I mentioned to Bella as she re-packed her bag to come over in the afternoon.

We only had one lesson left which was this after noon and I wanted to make the most of it. Bella would be off to Jacksonville for the weekend to visit her mother, and unleash the talent she's built.

"Really?" Bella asked, seeming incredulous but flattered at the same time.

"Of course" I shrugged. "She's not working tonight and since it's your last lesson she thought we should do something special."

We started walking to my car. I'd decided to pick her up this morning so I could drive her straight after school instead of her having to go home again and back. We were both going the same place anyway- well, that was my excuse. Either way she seemed flattered at the gesture.

"That's so nice of her," Bella met my eyes then, a teasing accusation in her eyes. "I don't suppose you had anything to do with her decision."

I put my hands in my pocket and looked at the sky, playing along. "Ah, I might have hinted at something." I peeked at her from the corner of my eye to see her watching me with a 'you're an idiot' smile. I grinned impishly and opened the passenger side door for her.

Bella moved past me but before getting in the car paused and looked at me. "Are you sure it's okay?"

"Perfectly fine," Eyes soft, I kept Bella's gaze. Absentmindedly, the hand that wasn't holding the door rested on the car frame, enclosing Bella in the space. It suddenly struck me at how close she was, how easy it would be to just lean in and… On their own accord my eyes drifted to her lips…how soft they looked. So easy…

I shook it off, and forced myself to look down at the pavement. My hands dropped away from the door and I stepped back a little. Awkwardly smiling at Bella and not really looking at her I politely gestured her into the car.

Assessing me critically at my sudden flushed change in attitude she dropped into the car and I gently closed the door shut.

It _should_ be that easy.

--

Alice arrived home shortly after Bella and I pulled in, dropped off by her 'almost' boy friend Jasper. I had only really officially met him once when he'd been at our house doing some project with Alice. He seemed to be a pretty alright guy from what I could tell. I'd gone all 'older brother protectiveness' on him- not aware at the time that I was doing it. Jasper was a calm and friendly kind of person, one you didn't pick up any bad vibes from. He was the ice to Alice's fire, so to speak.

'Almost' boy friend I once questioned Alice, after failing to tease her about it. "Almost," she clarified. "I mean, I know he likes me, and I am pretty sure he knows I like him… but he's so conservative and respectful of me that it's hard to get anywhere. But its okay, I'm going to crack that cookie."

From then on, I'd been even _more_ confused about girls. 'Crack that cookie'? 'He's so conservative and respectful of me'?

_What the hell?!_

Are all males just cookies to be cracked? Do women have elaborate plans to break us?

Females are always talking about how they want to find a nice guy who doesn't just want one thing blah, blah, blah… Now she _doesn't_ want him to be 'respectful' of her- you know…in terms of…

That's where I stopped thinking about my little sisters relationships. Basically, women are confusing and I will never try to understand again.

Alice greeted us at the porch, smiling politely at Bella. "I've been expecting you."

Lovely start. Great way to make someone feel awkward!

"Took Edward long enough to get you to meet the family," Alice continued, linking arms with Bella who glanced at me amused. "Come on inside, I can smell choc chip cookies." Ignoring me, Alice tugged Bella along with her to investigate mums cooking.

The house was warm inside and Alice's nose was correct. The aroma of baked goods smothered the house.

"Mum, where home!" Alice yelled, heading straight for the kitchen. Bella glanced behind to make sure I was still there following. I smiled a comforting smile.

Esme emerged from the kitchen then, apron on with smears of flour, all in all looking very motherly. Her eyes landed on Bella and she gave a big warm smile.

"Bella, nice to finally meet you."

What is with the 'finally'? It's not like I was keeping her away on purpose!

I could see Bella's face gaining colour slightly. "You too. Edward talks a lot about you."

Mum gave Bella the once over, glancing at me and back. She seemed to find something very interesting judging by the twinkle in her eyes. "Like wise. I would hug you but-" she gestured to her dirty apron- "I don't want to get your clothes all dirty."

Bella nodded, staring considerately at the messy clothing. Her small shoulders shrugged. "What the hell?" Bella stepped forward and they hugged lightly. I studied the scene carefully, thinking how perfect and comfortable it all looked.

Esme looked exuberant and it reflected on everybody.

"Well I'm about to start on dinner…Hope you like lasagne!"

"Lasagne?" Alice frowned. "Let me at those cookies first!"

I ginned, amused, shaking my head. So typical of Alice. Bella giggled softly and watched on with understanding eyes.

She got it.

--

"So Bella, Edward was saying that you're visiting your mother this weekend?" Carlisle asked curiously, going around the table and picking up everyone's plates. "Where about is Renee living now?"

Bella swallowed the last of her water. "She was living in Phoenix, Arizona but she moved to Jacksonville, Florida last month cause of her husband Phil's job."

"Florida!" Alice chirped, excited. "I've always wanted to go there!"

Bella nodded understandingly. "The beaches, I know. It's always so warm."

"We'll have to go there on a holiday some day." Esme patted Alice on the shoulder delicately.

"I highly recommend it."

I sat mostly quiet through out dinner, just watching everything, all the interactions. I was giving Bella up for the evening to just let her be part of the family. Everything was going perfectly fine and that made me happy. I wanted Bella to fit in with us, to get the golden seal of approval.

"Edward?" I looked up from the white table cloth at the sound of my mother. "Why don't you play the piano for Bella?"

I glanced at Bella and back to Esme, to Carlisle, Alice's smug face, torn. Usually I wouldn't mind playing, but this… this was different.

"That'd be showing off."

Alice scoffed. "You aren't that great."

I glared at her, miffed. "Thanks Alice, very encouraging."

"It's called reverse psychology." Alice nodded knowingly. "I put you down and you try to stand up, _so go stand up_!"

Carlisle rolled his eyes at his daughter, smirking. "Weren't you working on something special, Edward?"

"Yeah Edward," Alice said slyly. "That piece you keep hiding from everyone."

Bella looked at me curiously, her eyes accusing. "The one you wouldn't let me see in your locker?"

It was Esme's turn to join in on the gang up on Edward fest. "Who'd be a better candidate than Bella to listen to it?"

"It's not finished yet…" Warily I glanced at all the expectant faces, feeling defensive.

Bella smiled softly, "I'd still love to hear it." She nodded encouragingly. "Please?"

I considered it. The 'please'…How can I deny her…deny Bella what she wanted… That's what got me.

"_Please_ Edward?"

"You rock at puppy dog eyes Bella." Alice giggled mischievously. "He's so given in."

Sighing, I stood up and held out my hand for Bella to take. She grabbed hold immediately, and I became acutely aware of how warm she was. I shot a look at mum who was practically choking with satisfaction at our conjoined hands.

Bella and I went out to the Music Room and I sat Bella down on the piano bench. I got on my hands and knees and ducked under the piano.

"What are you doing?"

"I had to hide my music folder…I don't like people seeing anything before it's done." Only now did it seem so stupid that I did this. I had stuck the folder to the bottom of the piano with blu tack…No one would ever think to look there…I thought it was an excellent plan…Now it was just embarrassing. "You are the only person that knows my hiding place now, I trust you."

"Good," she folded her hands in her lap and waiting patiently for me to start, her feet bouncing with anticipation. I stared at her exasperated, trying to get the message across that she wouldn't make me do this. But Bella just smirked at me and waited.

Sighing mentally, I sat down next to her and rested my fingers on the ivory keys, going through the reasons this shouldn't- wasn't- so bad.

I'd get an outsiders opinion- though it was actually for her

I'd see how Bella reacted to the unfinished product so I can improve to make it even better.

I would be giving Bella what she wanted

Ever so slowly, I pressed down on the first key of the piece, letting it hang in the air for a second before sucking it up and just letting myself get lost in it. My fingers flowed swiftly over the keys, letting the sweet sounding notes meld together like they were all made for each other, letting all my visions of Bella come out in sound.

When I glanced at Bella from the corner of my eye, she was staring awestruck at my hands, her face bright. Well, she liked it by the looks of it.

This gave me more confidence. I was coming up to the bit I was unfinished with and decided to just wing it. Let it see where it took me.

"And this is where I start making stuff up." I warned Bella.

I made the music go light and boppy, silly. I raised my eye brows at Bella, nudging her with my elbow. She laughed at the turn of tone.

I tried for melancholy, and soon found myself playing the Death March. It continued like that, me changing to different tones, trying and apparently succeeding in entertaining. The Pink Panther seemed to be a hit. I was happy that I could do this for Bella, that she could get so much joy from something as simple as mucking around with a piano.

I went back to my original piece to finish it off, letting the final note reverberate in the air.

I turned to Bella, waiting for her to say something. Not waiting for praise, but something…anything. But she was silent for a minute. I know, I counted anxiously in my head. Silence was killer sometimes.

I broke the silence first, figuring what the hell. "You inspired the piece you know…" Bella's head snapped up to stare at me when I said that. I shrugged and looked down, embarrassed and wondering how in the world I was going to explain. "You've…Brought a lot of happiness into my life."

She didn't say anything but I felt a soft pressure on my cheek. Her lips? Bella pulled away and I stared at her with wide eyes. "Thank you," she said with deep meaning. "I loved it, and I can't wait to hear the finished thing. It'll be amazing."

I grinned dazedly, too caught up in the fact that Bella's lips had been on my skin.

"Well, I better get going." Bella announced suddenly, standing up. I cleared my throat, shaking myself back into the present. I opened the door to her and together we went back inside for Bella to say goodbye to everybody.

"It was lovely having you dear," Esme hugged Bella lightly.

Carlisle shook her hand with a polite, but true smile. "You're welcome here anytime."

"Thank you both for having me." She nodded to Alice with a smile. "See you at school,"

I escorted Bella to the car door and opened it for her, shutting it softly behind her.

The drive went by too quickly, and I was disappointed it was the weekend and that I wouldn't be seeing her till Monday. I pulled into the driveway of her house and switched off the engine.

I smiled as best I could. "See you,"

"Bye," Bella made no move to get out, just kind of smiled at me, like she was going to say something but kept putting it off. I waited patiently; I was in no hurry to leave her. Finally she giggled and opened the car door, shaking her head. "I'll see you later. Wish me luck for tomorrow?"

"Good luck!" Bella waved and went round the front of the car and towards the porch. I wound down the window and added, "You won't need it!"

"Ha, I wish! You're sweet." I waited till Bella was inside until I began the drive back home.

Esme was in the living room when I came in. I had a feeling she was going to start on something.

"So, Bella get home alright?"

I put the car keys down on the coffee table. "Yeah,"

"She's very beautiful," Esme prompted.

I kept my eyes trained on the carpet as I nodded in agreement. "I know she is."

"…I think she likes you, you know?"

"_Mum!_" I groaned, although inside I was cheering.

"What?" she questioned innocently. "I'm only telling what I see. And it's obvious you like her too- don't deny it." Blood was boiling beneath my face and I desperately didn't want to be talking about this with my mother. "All I'm saying is that you two look perfect together. That's it." Esme stood up and went down the hallway leaving me to my own thoughts.

'Perfect together'; Mum didn't know it, but that comment meant a lot to me.

**This chapter wasn't very good… But at least I FINALLY got it out! XD And now there is room for the big stuff!**

**Boys embarrassing story:**

_**Cross Dresser**_

_My parents were out one night, so I decided to invite my girlfriend over. We were mucking around in the lounge room when we heard a key turn in the door. We quickly scrambled to get dressed and I pulled on what I thought were my shorts. I then casually strolled out to greet my dad who had come back to get something he had forgotten. He was standing there in shock. As I looked down I realised that in the rush, I had grabbed my girlfriends skirt by mistake!_

**Ahh… I cracked up at that one. I was looking through my old **_**Girlfriend**_** magazines (when I say old…I mean old, I haven't bought any in about 2 years) and found those. So funny. Although I feel sorry for some of them, I would have died!**

**Anyway, I have most of the last chapter of this story already written and we are **_**almost**_** there. One more chapter and we are at the last chapter. Sniff **


	10. Chapter Nine

"So…" Alice began mysteriously, eying me carefully

**Chapter 9:**

_Edward's Point of View…_

--

I rubbed my hands together roughly, trying to gain heat from the friction. The bell was going to ring soon and I walked briskly to get out of the cloud of cold gloom that smothered the sky and blocked out all heat.

"Edward!" I turned at the sound of my name, more importantly Bella calling it. Several others had their attention brought to Bella jogging towards me as well but it hardly registered in my mind. I began to smile in welcome but was almost knocked back when she practically jumped into me, her arms around my neck.

It took me a moment to realise she was hugging. Slowly, I wound my arms around her, a smile tugging on the edge of my lips. "Hey, happy to see you too."

Bella laughed and pulled away, my own arms reluctant to follow. "Thank you so much for everything Edward. The weekend went great!"

I had to smile at Bella's obvious pleasure. Her every emotion was infectious.

"How'd it go? Tell me everything."

Bella was practically bouncing as she explained, hardly breathing at all. I think she spent too much time with my sister at dinner…

"Well, at first I was so nervous that I thought I was going to be sick, but then I thought about how brilliant you were and how you thought I'd be fine and you're practically perfect so you must be somewhat right. I sucked it up and just did it, and guess what?" I didn't get a chance to answer. "Renee loved it!" Bella sucked in a huge breath and grinned exuberantly. "All thanks to you. I never would have been able to do something like that if it weren't for you, Edward."

"It was nothing," I shrugged nonchalantly, feeling embarrassed at her flattery. This was _her_ time, not mine.

"It was something to me." Bella reached up and kissed me on the cheek, stunning me. That was twice now… Bella grinned once more, a pink tinge to her cheeks before turning on her heel and almost skipped away to the school building.

My cheek burned where her lips had been…Lips…had been. A dazed smile stretched over my face as I headed to my first class.

--

At the end of Trig Bella was quick to pack up her things, but she didn't leave the class room in any hurry. She travelled the two desks behind her and came to wait for me to get _my_ things together.

A thrill went through me as Bella asked me, shyly in case of rejection- as if- if I wanted to sit with her at lunch today. There wasn't a split second before I agreed with an enthusiastic, "Sure!"

Walking through halls with Bella was so much different than on my own. People actually seemed to look at me now, smile at me though we hadn't ever really talked. It was a nice feeling I must admit, not feeling like a reject that no one cared about.

But it wouldn't really matter as long as I had Bella. Having friendly faces around you was just a bonus. Bella was enough.

Bella and I found an empty table in the lunch room and sat down, every movement followed by curious eyes.

"Aren't you hungry?" I questioned when Bella didn't make any move to get something to eat.

She shook her head, grinning. "I'm feeling a little jittery," Bella explained at my look of speculation. Jittery was right. She was practically bouncing in her seat and there was a brightness in her eyes and skin that radiated.

I let it slide. She obviously wasn't sick, just…happy.

Bella tapped no particular tune on the table top, seeming distracted. She was staring past my shoulder through glazed over eyes, lost in thought. My curiosity was maddening. What had her so worked up today?

"What are you thinking?"

Bella's eyes refocused and looked at me surprised. "Um," she blinked and I wondered if the question was too nosy. "…Nothing in particular."

Her answer was an obvious hedging technique but all it managed to do was put me on the edge of my seat and want to know more.

"And this particular nothing would be…?" Bella focused her attention on her hands that had frozen in their tapping, unwilling to answer. "I won't laugh, I promise."

Bella looked up and rolled her eyes. "I'm not worried you'll _laugh_."

This was getting confusing.

"Then why won't you tell me?"

"B-because," she stuttered, glancing around the room for an excuse. Reluctantly, after searching to no avail, she met my inquisitive gaze. "It involves you."

Taken aback, I mumbled amazed, "Me?" She nodded awkwardly in reply. "What about me?"

"I was just… You know Jessica, right?" Bella changed tact. "You know that…she kind of likes you, right?" I froze in my seat, not knowing exactly how one was supposed to act to hearing that someone you don't like likes you. That someone actually liked me liked me. That was a first. "And so I was just wondering if-"

"_Hello_ there people," a voice cut in. _Speak of the Devil and _she_ shall appear._ "Edward," Jessica added, smiling at me in a way I now noticed with new meaning.

_If? Wondering if…? _

I tried to keep the steel out of my eyes as I greeted Jessica with a tight upturn of the lips.

"Jessica, what's up?" Bella asked, seeming to have the same level of enthusiasm as I did.

"_Well,_" Jessica leaned forward on her elbows, her voice going into gossip mode. "You may have heard that I'm having a small get together on Friday night?" I shook my head, waiting for her to hurry up and get it out. A gossip always drags it out. "Well you are both officially invited. Oh and Edward," Jessica fluttered her eyelashes flirtatiously. "Don't…bring anyone, Kay?"

I raised an eyebrow. Not only would I have no one _to_ bring, could you be any more obvious?

"Oh, and Bella, when are you going to take Tyler up on his offer? He's totally pining."

Eyes widening I stared at Bella, waiting for her explanation with Jessica. Her cheeks were changing shade and she held an apologetic expression when she glanced at me. Involuntarily, I spotted Tyler out in the lunch room and zoned in on his back.

"_Jess_," Bella said with a note of warning, strained patience. "I _told_ you. I'm just not interested, okay?

Jessica pouted, "But-"

"No,"

"But he-"

"_Jessica!_"

Jessica _tsk_-ed and took on a sulky look. "Fine, I'll see you two later."

When Jessica was out of ear shot I couldn't help but begin on my bombardment of questions ramming against the inside of my head.

"Why don't you like Tyler?" Blunt, yes. But straight to the point of what I most desperately wanted to know.

Bella gave me an exasperated look, but began to answer anyway. She leaned forward on the table.

"Tyler is nice and all, but I don't like him like that. I thought I already explained that. It's not what I want."

I assessed ever flicker of emotion that crossed Bella's face, trying to understand as best I could. I kept my voice gentle when I asked, "What is it that you want?"

Bella grinned wryly, pink staining her cheeks as she gazed thoughtfully at the table.

"I know it sounds stupid and _really_ cheesy… But I want someone who would do something for me, and not because it would benefit them in anyway. But because they truly cared."

"It's not stupid," I murmured, leaning forward and rest my head in my hand propped up by my elbow. I gazed, mesmerised by the deepness and vulnerability she was entrusting me with.

"Call me a hopeless romantic," Bella rolled her eyes with a grin. "Whether they…dimmed the lights in a mall- or shouted my name in a building so it echoes," she laughed a little and met my eyes. "Or write a piano piece entirely for me."

I smiled, feeling a swell of feeling well up inside me. Playing for her the other day was definitely worth it.

Bella smiled and touched the hand that was resting on the table.

"That's perfect."

--

"So…" Alice began mysteriously, eying me carefully from the corner of her eye. I stared at her waiting, drying off a pot and setting it down on the bench. "Rumour has it that you and Bella are an item."

My breath hitched in my throat but I hid my surprise well. It would only fuel Alice's inquisitive- aka nosy, thoughts.

"Is that so?" I asked casually, while underneath I was burning with curiosity. "And I suppose you were the one that started these rumours?"

Alice was smug when she answered. "I can truthfully say no to that. You and Bells are the talk of the school," Alice sang, dipping her hands into the soapy water and pulling out some cutlery.

I busied my self in drying off a plate, trying not to show how my embarrassment was far greater than any satisfaction in that. "No, we're not."

"Is that a hint of defensiveness I hear?" Alice _tsk_-ed and shook her head in shame.

I sighed, frustrations rising. "You don't know what you're talking about Alice, so just mind your own business." It was irking how she always seemed to know this stuff, seemed to know more about me than I did. It made me snap at her in a way that I regretted after. "Sorry."

"It's okay. I find your agitation amusing," Alice grinned mischievously. "Oh, and by the way, Bella called earlier."

My fingers froze on the plate and I turned on Alice, newly refreshed annoyance shining on my face.

"Why didn't you tell me when she called?"

"I told her you were in the shower."

I swallowed hard. "But I wasn't in the shower earlier."

"I know," Alice said innocently. "But I think it would be better for your relationship with Bella if _you_ called _her_."

I threw the towel down onto the bench top and glared at Alice.

"Stop interfering!" With that said, I stomped towards the door to the hall way.

"Jeez, PMS much?"

I stopped and wheeled around to stare at Alice incredulously. "_What the hell_?"

"You know what I mean."

My nose scrunched up, "But- I don't-" I sighed, giving up and Alice started her tinkling laughter, breaking her carefully serious facade. I continued to glare daggers into her doubled over form.

Alice shooed me off, "Oh, go call your girlfriend already."

Rolling my eyes to hide how much Alice had annoyed me, I walked more casually to get my phone.

I had long ago memorised Bella's number and pressed the keys with expertise.

The phone rang once, twice, a third time and then Bella's gentle voice was greeting me.

"Hey- It's Edward."

"Oh- hi! I called earlier."

"Yeah, Alice told me," I muttered, steel in my voice. I struggled for a lighter tone as I continued, "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"I was just going to ask if you were going to Jessica's party."

_Oh… _

"Um, I _really_ don't know…Are you?"

Bella sighed on the other end. "I promised Jess I would go since I blew her off last time- which is kind of why I wanted to know if you were going…Could you maybe… come with me…" I didn't answer straight away and Bella started to rush out her explanation. "It's just that it'll be bad enough being dragged around by Jessica and you being there would make it _so much_ more bearable, and I-"

"Sure," I cut her off, trying my best to not laugh at her nervous rambling.

"What?"

"Sure, I'll come with you."

"_Oh_…Great!" Bella exclaimed, a smile in her voice. It made me grin at her obvious pleasure. "Well then…I'll see you at school tomorrow then?"

"Yep, I'll see you later."

"Bye Edward," she murmured her voice softer.

"Bye Bella."

"Bye."

"Bye."

"Bye," I chuckled as she repeated it again.

"Good night Bella."

"Night. And I will really go now. Bye!"

The dial tone rang in my ears as I opened my mouth to say good bye once more. Dejected, but amused I hung up the phone and sat down on the bed.

I hadn't ever been to one of those house parties, only had seen them go wrong on TV and in movies. What exactly would my… date? Slash friend thing with Bella on Friday hold?

--

**Oh my gosh, I was looking up piano pieces on You Tube and came across Kiss the Rain by Yiruma and then…I fell in love with it! I myself think it's a nice Bella's lullaby. It's 'unbearably sweet' like Bella said in the book, and it also holds a certain sadness about it, like Bella also mentions in the book. Other people think one of the guys other pieces, River Flows In You, is a perfect Bella's lullaby and it is nice…but I just like the other one better.**

**ANYWAY!**

**I am off to read Mid Night Ally by Rachel Caine, and in between do stupid history home work. Australia in the Vietnam war is interesting and all, but…it's home work! **

**Boys Embarrassing Story:**

_**I Like the Way You Move…**_

I snuck into a nightclub with my older brother one night, and was having a great time. I was chatting to lots of people, and started dancing with a hot chick. (**rolls eyes) **She looked down and began giggling. I followed her gaze and noticed that my fly was undone. Not only that, but I was wearing white jocks, which were fluoro due to the crazy lighting inside the club. It broke the ice, but!

--

**Ahh, that's embarrassing. Hehehehe**

**Anyway, next chapter is the last… Tear tear….**

**Until next time… **


	11. Chapter Ten

Chapter 10:

**Chapter 10:**

_Edward's Point of View…_

* * *

"Looks like _Edward Cullen_, has really come out into society." Alice sighed, resting her hand over her heart proudly. "Going to a big party with loud music and dancing… girls with too much make-up; _our boy is growing up!_" Alice wiped away fake tears and smiled a sappy grin.

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head at her. Talk about drama queen. I held up two of my nicest- but still casual shirts.

Alice's face screwed up in disgust and pointed at the black shirt. "_Ewww_. Go with the black."

"Goodbye Mr. Forest Green." I tossed the shirt onto the pile of clothing carelessly sprawled over the bed. "Anyway, it's no big deal. I'm only going because Bella asked me to come with her."

It was Alice's turn to give the eye roll. "Duh, Edward!" She slapped her forehead. "She asked you to go with her. What does that tell you? Bella totally asked you out!"

"It was just a friend thing," I defended, shrugging casually as to not let Alice bring my hopes up, only to have them crushed.

"_Sure_ it was," Alice condescended, crossing her arms over her chest in a fed up gesture. "Edward, your brain is in deeper than the ocean."

I gave her a disapproving look and pulled the black shirt over my shoulders, and did up the buttons.

A look of horror flashed over Alice's face. I gave her a questioning look and she scrunched up her face and screeched at me, "Don't do your buttons up to _there,_ you _nerd_linger!" Alice practically tore the top of my shirt open and glared at me angrily. "What would you do without me?"

"Not have ruined shirts," I muttered, sure that she must have pulled off a button.

Alice shook her head, as though _I_ was the mental one attacking peoples clothing.

"Dude, you being my brother and all, I have to look out for you," Alice began dramatically. "And, I know what girls like, and they- Bella- will definitely be liking you this evening."

Feeling slightly embarrassed, I scratched the back of my neck, averting my eyes to the carpeted floor. My eyes caught on something and narrowed. I bent down and picked up a button and held it accusingly under Alice's nose.

"You could have just asked me to undo them!"

* * *

As Bella and I walked briskly through the cold night air toward Jessica's house where light was streaming out of every window, I couldn't help but glancing to my left every now and then to just admire.

Bella hadn't gone all out, but she seemed to have made some effort. An exchange of jeans for a layered flowing blue skirt, a plain shirt for a long sleeved white shirt that seemed to hug everywhere important, a certain wave in her hair, a shine to her lips…

It was enough to make me want to take her away and let no one but myself have laid eyes on her.

Enough to make me think that girls did crazy things to look nice, like being out in the cold covered in very un cold resistant clothing…Not that I really minded getting to see Bella look like she did, or minded getting to lend her my jacket.

I had asked Bella before we left if she would be cold and she'd reassured me that once they were there you wouldn't be able to feel anything but warmth. Guess that meant Jessica's house was going to be packed.

Bella and I walked up the lit porch steps, hearing the excited yells and outrageous laughter from the other side of the door, the back beat of music rumbling the windows. I knocked hesitantly on the door twice, not really sure if we were supposed to just walk in or wait to be let in.

Almost immediately the door opened to a strangers face. He was tall and lanky, and had a glint to his face that screamed trouble maker- or would be later on in the night.

He grinned wide and completely over looking me and raked over Bella. My hand clenched as he opened his mouth to say something, but then he fell forward slightly and spun around swearing. Another guy was standing behind him laughing. The self appointed door man pushed back, joining in on the joke.

I grabbed Bella's hand without thinking and pulled her inside, before the guy turned back to look for her.

The entire bottom floor was smothered with people and Bella was right. Definitely not cold anymore, hard to breathe was more like it. Bella and I twisted and turned past clammy bodies of people chatting and on the edge of dancing, no clear idea of where we were heading.

We both stopped automatically in an area that was least populated and noisy, clearly realising this was about as good as it would get in here. I looked down at Bella to see exactly what we should do next.

"Don't lose me, okay?" Bella shouted, smiling with amusement at her own short expense.

I chuckled, and shook my head. "Never."

Bella looked around as best she could and landed on glass sliding doors opening to the back yard where bluish white light shone. "Come on, let's go outside. I need air."

I followed Bella's lead, still hand in hand to the doors. The first step out the threshold and a burst of cool air hit me, wonderful and refreshing compared to the inside stillness.

The blue light was coming from a very inviting pool that shone from its depths, causing waving shimmering lines to glow off the walls and people's bodies that were around its edges.

Bella took a deep breath of the fresh air and released my hand, looking around for familiar faces. My hand stayed open and prickled where my skin had been in contact with Bella's.

"Edward! You came!" Jessica's pleased voice yelled from behind me. Bella and I turned and Jessica did a once over, making me flinch. "Looking pretty hot too," she winked, and _then_ seemed to notice Bella there. "Oh, hi Bella."

"Jessica," Bella nodded. I watched Bella's face closely and the tightening around her eyes told me she wasn't as ecstatic as Jessica, but over all her expressions were steadily calm.

Jessica's face brightened, her eyes widening with excitement. "Oh my God, Edward, there's some people you _have_ to meet." She grabbed onto my fore arm and before I realised what happened I was being manoeuvre through people, _away_ from Bella, losing her.

I twisted around to see Mike approaching Bella as she tiptoed to look after Jessica and myself. Something about knowing that she would be with mike set off an alarm in my head and a sense of dread crawled over my skin.

Jessica pulled me over to a group of people, pushing me forward to a girl about the same height and size of Jessica.

"Edward, this is my cousin Danni…" Jessica introduced as and I tried to smile politely and look some what interested in what Jessica was saying as I looked around for where Bella and Mike had disappeared behind people. "She lives in Olympia and came up her for a few nights…"

I nodded, biting my lip as I scanned once again, looking at Jessica and Danni only when courteously needed- which was more that I let myself acknowledge.

"She's totally cool. Danni's actually the one that supplied most of the drinks since she's 21…"

I nodded again, distracted, hardly hearing anything but murmurs in a Jessica coloured tone. "That's great…"

* * *

It took forever to get away from Jessica. She just talked and talked and talked and never seemed to take a pause to breathe where I could cut in and excuse myself. Eventually, I got sick of listening and waiting and interrupted bluntly with a, "Where's the bath room?"

Jessica looked at me, kind of surprised I'd said anything and cut her off in her ramblings on flip flops. "Oh, umm… third door on your right in the hall."

I nodded and got the hell away from there, ducking between people to avoid Jessica's lingering gaze.

Once I was a safe distance away I tip toed and craned my neck to spot Bella, to quench the uneasy feeling that was gripping at me.

I had to scan three times before I saw her, hard because she was sitting down on a two person bench that faced the deep end of the pool…with Mike. I dropped back down to normal height and started edging towards where they sat.

Warning bells went off in my head as Bella edged across the bench away from Mike, her face downcast and all in all looking very uncomfortable. Something wasn't right.

There was a twisting in my stomach as my eyes trained on the two as I tried to get through the thick sets of chatting bodies.

My eyes narrowed on Mike's fingers as they crawled onto Bella's thigh, a cajoling tilt to his head as he spoke to her. Burning rage crawled over me, my fingers clenched and my breathing became heavier. _Who the hell did he think he was_? The anger consumed me when Bella ripped herself away from him and jumped up and faced Mike as she backed away.

I pushed through people quicker now, feeling people's backs and sides brush against me as I rushed to get to Bella.

I thought I heard someone calling my name- Jessica I think, but I ignored it. I was in hearing range now and just had to get around Tyler Crowley and his group.

"Come on Bella." Mike crooned, stepping closer to Bella, who in turn shifted further away, wariness shining in her eyes. "No one will find us."

"Mike- please, I told you." Bella shook her head erratically. "No."

Mike's hand went to her shoulder, stopping her from moving away as he moved right up close. His hand ran lightly down her arm and she glared at it. "Don't be such a-"

"Mike!" I took hold of Bella's hand and tugged her slightly behind me. "She said no." Bella's skin was cold in my hands and trembling slightly. I squeezed her hand reassuringly and felt her return the gesture.

"_Great_," he droned sarcastically. "The boyfriends here." I didn't correct him, and neither did Bella.

Mike eyed me, judging me. By the rage and protectiveness I could feel smothering everything in me; I had no doubt that I must have looked livid. This wasn't the kind of protectiveness I had for Alice either, I knew she belonged to someone else and I was just family looking out for family. But with every fibre in my body screamed that Bella was mine and no one else should touch her unless she wanted them to.

A muscle in Mikes jaw flexed and he _tsk_-ed, glancing to the left at Bella. I continued to stare him down; I wouldn't take my eyes away from him until he was completely gone.

Mike relaxed his posture and smirked at Bella. "Guess I'll go then,"

She didn't reply. She didn't need to. I answered for her, making it clear that he wasn't wanted here. "Yeah, you do that."

Mike scoffed, shaking his head, but I could tell the message got through. Mike slinked off into the crowds of hormonal teenagers and disappeared.

I relaxed with a sigh, my shoulders dropping tiredly. I turned round to face Bella and see if she was alright.

Bella had her head down and she let go of my hand and folded her arms across her middle self-consciously. "Sorry," she mumbled.

My brow furrowed at that, my hand feeling empty without hers.

"For what?" I asked, incredulous.

Bella glanced at me then and gestured to the bench where her and Mike had been. "For- for that!"

I shook my head, bending down a little to try and get her to actually look at me. "For you, Bella, I will." I reached out to tentatively touch her hand that held onto her waist. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

Bella sighed and started to move towards the edge of the pool, away from my touch, the lines of the reflecting pool lighting up her embarrassed expression.

"Yeah, but you shouldn't have had to-"

Bella's footing hit the raised edge of the pool and she tipped back, arms flailing. I swiped out to catch her, managing to grab hold of her wrist too late. We both toppled into the heated abyss.

Fizzing bubbles clouded my vision as I squinted for Bella, holding the half a breath I managed to take. Hooting and the back beat of the music was just a dull drone down here, barely audible. All that could be clearly heard was the swishing and rivets of water.

When the bubbles cleared Bella took hold of my hand and treaded the water to keep her down a little longer. Tendrils of her hair swayed in the invisible winds of the water, like a goddess. The pool lights seemed to light up her face, bring out the pureness that was Bella.

She was so perfect.

Wide brown eyes blinked at me in wonder and soft lips smiled as we rose, hand in hand.

Noises became clearer, and the perfect blue became a wash of colour. Silently I wished that we could stay down in the serenity forever. Crashes of water sounded all around us and shifted the ripples of water as others joined in on the action.

Our heads broke the surface and I gulped a big breath. Sound flooded my ears and light made me squint. People were jumping in all around us, so, breathing heavily, I lead Bella to an edge so we wouldn't get hit.

Bella's hair was a mass of straight and twisted tangles around her face and down past her shoulders. She was grinning hugely, on the edge of laughing, her eyes twinkling in the reflected lights.

I rubbed my arm over my eyes to get rid of the water dripping from my hair and grinned amused, shaking my head. The water hadn't done anything to Bella. Outside, she was just as beautiful as the goddess that had stunned me beneath. She was Bella.

With out really thinking about it, just letting gravity pull me along, I leaned forward an inch. Bella's smile faded slightly as realisation hit her. Her eyes glanced at me once before she'd made up my mind. I closed the gap between us, our lips meeting perfectly in a chaste kiss.

The kiss lingered, neither one of us really wanting to move away. I'm not sure which of us moved first, maybe we both did, but when our eyes met with a brand new fervour it didn't really matter.

Bella giggled, confusing me.

"Who knew it would take me- being a klutz," she rolled her eyes and giggled again. "By falling into a pool at _Jessica Stanley's_ place for you to _finally_ kiss me."

I had no idea what expression shone on my face, but it must have shined bright.

"Whatever it takes." I pecked her on the cheek, a new found sureness in the 'us' that I'd been too blind to see. "I'm glad it finally happened."

"Me too,"

It was so surreal. I had just kissed Bella Swan and she was happy that I did, she wanted me to have done it. Wow… I kissed Bella… and she wanted me to… Bella…Bella… What now? Did that mean… How am I supposed to…?

I shook my head in wonder, caressing her cheek, brushing away her wet hair with my thumb, leaning forward once again for the promise kiss that held a beginning that I had waited for so long.

* * *

**Okay, I was completely freaked about posting this. I got a bit paranoid that people wouldn't like it and then my friend Jasmine told me to write for myself and not for everyone else. So…I'm happy with it, and I hope all my readers are too!**

**Thank you to everybody that read this story, all the reviewers, the people who added it to their favourites list, alert list, and those who added me to their favourite Authors list. hi five!**

**I have another story coming up, I already have the first 4 chapters written so watch out for it! **

**It will be called, "**_Revving to Go_**". So…watch out!**

**Well, I owe and have been guilt tripped (jokes) into giving a big thank you to my friend **Noonie93, **my little proof reader/ sense knocker. THANK YOU!**

**Boys Embarrassing Story: **

_**Stage Fright…**_

It was our major performance night at school and I was pretty nervous because my band was first up. This chick who I think is gorgeous was sitting front and centre. The performance was going really well and my solo was coming up, so I decided to walk up to the front of the stage to impress her. The spotlight was in my eyes so I found it hard to see. I ended up walking straight off the stage and into this chicks lap, knocking her out of her chair. Needless to say, she was far from impressed and hasn't spoken a word to me since!

**Aww…I feel sorry for him…. Most of my own embarrassing stories are bus related…the bus I get with St. Pats boys high school… heh heh….**

**Anyway, THANK YOU to everyone! I really appreciate everything. XD**

That's all Folks!

**XxJessicaxX**


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